Intravascular stent

Abstract

An expandable stent for implantation in a body lumen, such as an artery, is disclosed. The stent consists of a plurality of radially expandable cylindrical rings generally aligned on a common longitudinal stent axis and interconnected by one or more interconnecting links placed so that the stent is flexible in the longitudinal direction. The link pattern is optimized to enhance longitudinal flexibility and high longitudinal strength compression of the stent.

1 . A stent, comprising:
 a tubular body having a distal end ring and a proximal end ring and a plurality of body rings therebetween;   the end rings and the body rings being positioned in an in-phase relationship;   the end rings and the body rings being connected by links having a pattern of 3 links-2 links-3 links along the length of the stent; and   the distal end ring being connected to a first body ring by three links, the first body ring being connected to a second body ring by two links, the second body ring being connected to a third body ring by three links, each of the remaining body rings being connected by the alternating pattern of 3-2-3-2-3 links, and the proximal end ring being connected to an adjacent body ring by three links.   
     
     
         2 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the links are substantially linear or non-linear, more flexible. 
     
     
         3 . The stent of  claim 2 , wherein the non-linear links have a both linear portion and a non-linear portion. 
     
     
         4 . The stent of  claim 3 , wherein each of rings has a first crest and a second crest, the first crest being shorter than the second crest. 
     
     
         5 . The stent of  claim 4 , wherein the stent has a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration, the non-linear portion of the link nests with the first crest when the stent is in the compressed configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the 2-link configuration has linear links and the 3-link configuration has non-linear links. 
     
     
         7 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the stent is formed from metal alloy taken from the group of metal alloys consisting of stainless steel, nickel-titanium, titanium, tantalum, and cobalt-chromium. 
     
     
         8 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the stent is formed from a polymer. 
     
     
         9 . A stent, comprising:
 a tubular body having a distal end ring and a proximal end ring and a plurality of body rings therebetween, the tubular body having a compressed diameter and an expanded implanted diameter;   the end rings and the body rings being positioned in an in-phase relationship;   the end rings and the body rings being connected by an alternating pattern of 2 links-2 links-3 links-2 links-2 links-3 links;   the distal end ring being connected to a first body ring by two links, the first body ring being connected to a second body ring by two links, the second body ring being connected to a third body ring by three links, the third body ring being connected to a fourth body ring by two links, the fourth body ring being connected to a fifth body ring by two links, and the proximal end ring being attached to an adjacent body ring by three links.   
     
     
         10 . The stent of  claim 9 , wherein the links are substantially linear or non-linear. 
     
     
         11 . The stent of  claim 10 , wherein the non-linear links have a substantially linear portion and a non-linear portion. 
     
     
         12 . The stent of  claim 11 , wherein each of rings has a first crest and a second crest, the first crest being shorter than the second crest. 
     
     
         13 . The stent of  claim 12 , wherein the stent has a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration, the non-linear portion of the link nests with the first crest wherein the stent is in the compressed configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The stent of  claim 9 , wherein the 2-link configuration has linear links and the 3-link configuration has non-linear links. 
     
     
         15 . The stent of  claim 9 , wherein the stent is formed from metal alloy taken from the group of metal alloys consisting of stainless steel, nickel-titanium, titanium, tantalum, and cobalt-chromium. 
     
     
         16 . The stent of  claim 9 , wherein the stent is formed from a polymer. 
     
     
         17 . A stent, comprising:
 a tubular body having a plurality of cylindrical rings including a distal end ring and a proximal end ring and four body rings therebetween, the tubular body having a compressed diameter and an expanded implanted diameter;   the distal end ring, a first body ring, and second body ring being positioned in an in-phase relationship;   the proximal end ring, a third body ring, and a fourth body ring being positioned in an in-phase relationship;   the second body ring and the third body ring being positioned in an out-of-phase relationship;   two links connect the distal end ring to the first body ring and two links connect the first body ring to the second body ring; and   three links connect the second body ring to the third body ring; three links connect the third body ring to the fourth body ring; and three links connect the fourth body ring to the proximal end ring.   
     
     
         18 . The stent of  claim 17 , wherein the links are non-linear links. 
     
     
         19 . The stent of  claim 18 , wherein the non-linear links have a linear portion and a non-linear portion. 
     
     
         20 . The stent of  claim 19 , wherein each of rings has a first crest and a second crest, the first crest being shorter than the second crest. 
     
     
         21 . The stent of  claim 20 , wherein the stent has a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration, the non-linear portion of the link nests with the first crest wherein the stent is in the compressed configuration. 
     
     
         22 . A stent, comprising:
 a tubular body having a distal end ring, a proximal end ring, and a plurality of body rings therebetween;   the end rings and the body rings being positioned in an in-phase relationship;   the end rings and the body rings being connected by links having a pattern starting at the distal end ring of 3-2-3-2-3-3 links and ending at the proximal end ring; and   the distal end ring being connected to a first body ring by three links, the first body ring being connected to a second body ring by two links, the second body ring being connected to a third body ring by three links, the third body ring being connected to a fourth body ring by two links, the fourth body ring being connected to a fifth body ring by three links, and the fifth body ring being connected to the proximal end ring by three links.   
     
     
         23 . The stent of  claim 22 , wherein the links are substantially linear or non-linear more flexible. 
     
     
         24 . The stent of  claim 23 , wherein the non-linear links have a substantially linear portion and a non-linear portion. 
     
     
         25 . The stent of  claim 24 , wherein each of the rings has a first crest and a second crest, the first crest being shorter than the second crest. 
     
     
         26 . The stent of  claim 25 , wherein the stent has a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration, the non-linear portion of the link nests with the first crest when the stent is in the compressed configuration. 
     
     
         27 . The stent of  claim 22 , wherein the 2-link configuration has linear links and the 3-link configuration has non-linear links. 
     
     
         28 . The stent of  claim 22 , wherein the stent is formed from metal alloy taken from the group of metal alloys consisting of stainless steel, nickel-titanium, titanium, tantalum, and cobalt-chromium. 
     
     
         29 . The stent of  claim 22 , wherein the stent is formed from a polymer. 
     
     
         30 . A stent, comprising:
 a tubular body having a distal end ring and a proximal end ring and a plurality of body rings therebetween, the tubular body having a compressed diameter and an expanded implanted diameter;   the end rings and the body rings being positioned in an in-phase relationship;   the end rings and the body rings being connected by a link pattern of 2 links-2 links-3 links-2 links-2 links-3 links-3 links;   the distal end ring being connected to a first body ring by two links, the first body ring being connected to a second body ring by two links, the second body ring being connected to a third body ring by three links, the third body ring being connected to a fourth body ring by two links, the fourth body ring being connected to a fifth body ring by two links, the fifth body ring being connected to a sixth body ring by three links, and the proximal end ring being attached to the sixth body ring by three links.   
     
     
         31 . The stent of  claim 30 , wherein the links are substantially linear or non-linear. 
     
     
         32 . The stent of  claim 31 , wherein the non-linear links have a substantially linear portion and a non-linear portion. 
     
     
         33 . The stent of  claim 32 , wherein each of the rings has a first crest and a second crest, the first crest being shorter than the second crest. 
     
     
         34 . The stent of  claim 33 , wherein the stent has a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration, the non-linear portion of the link nests with the first crest when the stent is in the compressed configuration. 
     
     
         35 . The stent of  claim 30 , wherein the 2-link configuration has linear links and the 3-link configuration has are non-linear links. 
     
     
         36 . The stent of  claim 30 , wherein the stent is formed from metal alloy taken from the group of metal alloys consisting of stainless steel, nickel-titanium, titanium, tantalum, and cobalt-chromium. 
     
     
         37 . The stent of  claim 30 , wherein the stent is formed from a polymer.