초록 ▼

A plurality of expandable and deformable intraluminal vascular grafts are expanded within a blood vessel by an angioplasty balloon associated with a catheter to dilate and expand the lumen of a blood vessel. The grafts may be thin-walled tubular members having a plurality of slots disposed substanti

A plurality of expandable and deformable intraluminal vascular grafts are expanded within a blood vessel by an angioplasty balloon associated with a catheter to dilate and expand the lumen of a blood vessel. The grafts may be thin-walled tubular members having a plurality of slots disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular members, and adjacent grafts are flexibly connected by a single connector member disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular members.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [1.] A balloon expandable coronary stent for delivery to a coronary artery through an access artery, the stent comprising:at least three segments, each segment having a generally tubular shape and a fist end and a second end;each segment having a plurality of openings that are disposed s

[ I claim:] [1.] A balloon expandable coronary stent for delivery to a coronary artery through an access artery, the stent comprising:at least three segments, each segment having a generally tubular shape and a fist end and a second end;each segment having a plurality of openings that are disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the segment, the openings forming a series of alternating open and closed portions in each of the first and second ends of the segment;the segments being arranged so that at least one closed portion of the second end of a first segment is in longitudinal alignment with a closed portion of the first end of a second segment and at least one closed portion of the second end of the second segment is in longitudinal alignment with a closed portion of the first end of the third segment;a first connector joining the aligned closed portion of the second end of the first segment to the aligned closed portion of the first end of the second segment;a second connector joining the aligned closed portion of the second end of the second segment to the aligned closed portion of the first end of the third segment;the first and second connectors being angularly offset from each other with respect to the longitudinal axis of the stent;whereby each of the segments may be displaced at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of an adjacent segment when the stent is delivered through a cued portion of the access or coronary arteries; andthe stent having a first diameter which permits intraluminal delivery of the stent through the access artery by percutaneous catheterization and a second, expanded and deformed diameter, the second diameter being attained upon the application from the interior of the stent of a radially, outwardly directed force by inflating a balloon, which second diameter is variable and dependent upon the amount of force applied to the stent, whereby the stent may be expanded and deformed beyond its elastic limit to expand the lumen of the coronary artery.