| abstract |
An expandable stent is fabricated from a plurality of circumferential rings, each pair of adjacent circumferential rings being interconnected by a multiplicity of links, each link contacting a portion of a strut in one ring along one longitudinal axis and a portion a strut in a directly adjacent ring along a different longitudinal axis. Each link is circumferentially S-shaped and adjacent links are mirror images of each other. The resulting stent is both flexible and strong when expanded thereby providing good scaffolding. In one embodiment, the strut material is fabricated of shape memory alloy such that when the strut is compressed so as to be insertable into a vessel, the strut will automatically expand to its previous dimension upon rising to the temperature of the vessel in which it is placed, thereby to expand and hold open the vessel without need for a balloon catheter. |