초록

An expandable stent for implanting in a body lumen, such as a coronary artery, peripheral artery, or other body lumen. In one aspect, the stent includes a butterfly pattern to which connecting links are attached. In another aspect, the stent embodies a non-directional structure.

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1. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising: a plurality of cylindrical rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis; anda plurality of links connecting adjacent cylindrical rings, two or more of the plurality of links being an undulating link, each undulating link having

1. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising: a plurality of cylindrical rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis; anda plurality of links connecting adjacent cylindrical rings, two or more of the plurality of links being an undulating link, each undulating link having a curved portion extending transverse to the common longitudinal axis and an arm being straight and parallel to the common longitudinal axis;wherein each cylindrical ring includes an open W-pattern, the open W-pattern being connected to no more than one adjacent ring, each of the cylindrical rings having a plurality of first peaks, second peaks, and third peaks, each of the first, second and third peaks having a height and an apex, the first peaks being taller than the second peaks, and the second peaks being taller than the third peaks along with a plurality of first valleys, second valleys, and third valleys, each of the first, second and third valleys having a depth and an apex, the first valleys being deeper than the second valleys, and the second valleys being deeper than the third valleys, each third peak of at least one of the cylindrical rings being connected to an adjacent cylindrical ring by one of the undulating links and the open W-pattern is formed between one of the first peaks and one of the second peaks. 2. The stent of claim 1, wherein each undulating link further includes at least one substantially straight portion connected to the curved portion, the at least one substantially straight portion being substantially perpendicular to the common longitudinal axis. 3. The stent of claim 2, wherein the at least one substantially straight portion of each undulating link is perpendicular to the common longitudinal axis. 4. The stent of claim 1, wherein the apexes of the first peaks have a first radius, and the apexes of the second peaks have a second radius, the second radius being different than the first radius. 5. The stent of claim 1, wherein each cylindrical ring includes a plurality of a first strut, a second strut, and a third strut, the first struts being longer than the second struts, and the second struts being longer than the third struts. 6. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent has a proximal end and a distal end and defines a first longitudinal orientation of the apexes of the first, second and third peaks and the apexes of the first, second and third valleys at the proximal end which is generally reversed from a second longitudinal orientation of the apexes of the first, second and third peaks and the apexes of the first, second and third valleys at the distal end. 7. The stent of claim 1, wherein the stent has a proximal end and a distal end and the apex of at least one third peak of one of the cylindrical rings is oriented towards the proximal end of the stent, and the apex of at least one other third peak on another of the cylindrical rings is oriented towards the distal end of the stent. 8. The stent of claim 1, wherein orientations of at least some of the peaks and some of the valleys are longitudinally reversed along a length of the stent, wherein the stent may be effectively mounted onto a stent delivery system in at least two different orientations. 9. The stent of claim 1, wherein a plurality of struts define the rings and each link, at least a portion of one strut having a variable thickness. 10. The stent of claim 1, wherein a plurality of struts define the rings and each link, at least a portion of one strut having a variable width. 11. The stent of claim 1, wherein the open W-pattern includes two short struts connected together to form one of the third peaks having a radius, a first long strut connected to one end of one of the short struts to form one of the first valleys having a radius and a second long strut connected to one end of the other short strut to form one of the second valleys having a radius. 12. The stent of claim 1, wherein each of the first peaks has a smaller radius of curvature than each of the second peaks and each of the second peaks has a smaller radius of curvature than each of the third peaks. 13. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising: a plurality of cylindrical rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis; anda plurality of links connecting adjacent cylindrical rings;wherein each cylindrical ring includes an open W-pattern, the open W-pattern being connected to no more than one adjacent ring, each of the cylindrical rings having a plurality of first peaks, second peaks, and third peaks, each of the first, second and third peaks having a height and an apex, the first peaks being taller than the second peaks, and the second peaks being taller than the third peaks along with a plurality of first valleys, second valleys, and third valleys, each of the first, second and third valleys having a depth and an apex, the first valleys being deeper than the second valleys, and the second valleys being deeper than the third valleys, each third peak of at least one of the cylindrical rings being connected to an adjacent cylindrical ring by one of the links and the open W-pattern is formed between one of the first peaks and one of the second peaks and each cylindrical ring includes a plurality of a first strut, a second strut, and a third strut, the first struts being longer than the second struts, and the second struts being longer than the third struts and the open W-pattern is defined by a pair of third struts, one first strut and one second strut. 14. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising: a plurality of cylindrical rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis; anda plurality of links connecting adjacent cylindrical rings;wherein each cylindrical ring includes an open W-pattern, the open W-pattern being connected to no more than one adjacent ring, each of the cylindrical rings having a plurality of first peaks, second peaks, and third peaks, each of the first, second and third peaks having a height and an apex, the first peaks being taller than the second peaks, and the second peaks being taller than the third peaks along with a plurality of first valleys, second valleys, and third valleys, each of the first, second and third valleys having a depth and an apex, the first valleys being deeper than the second valleys, and the second valleys being deeper than the third valleys, each third peak of at least one of the cylindrical rings being connected to an adjacent cylindrical ring by one of the links and the open W-pattern is formed between one of the first peaks and one of the second peaks and each cylindrical ring includes a plurality of a first strut, a second strut, and a third strut, the first struts being longer than the second struts, and the second struts being longer than the third struts and at least one of the second valleys includes one of the second struts connected with another of the second struts by one of the apexes. 15. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising: a plurality of cylindrical rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis; anda plurality of links connecting adjacent cylindrical rings;wherein each cylindrical ring includes an open W-pattern, the open W-pattern being connected to no more than one adjacent ring, each of the cylindrical rings having a plurality of first peaks, second peaks, and third peaks, each of the first, second and third peaks having a height and an apex, the first peaks being taller than the second peaks, and the second peaks being taller than the third peaks along with a plurality of first valleys, second valleys, and third valleys, each of the first, second and third valleys having a depth and an apex, the first valleys being deeper than the second valleys, and the second valleys being deeper than the third valleys, each third peak of at least one of the cylindrical rings being connected to an adjacent cylindrical ring by one of the links and the open W-pattern is formed between one of the first peaks and one of the second peaks and each cylindrical ring includes a plurality of a first strut, a second strut, and a third strut, the first struts being longer than the second struts, and the second struts being longer than the third struts and at least one of the second struts is of dissimilar length than at least one other of the second struts. 16. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising: a plurality of cylindrical rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis; anda plurality of links connecting adjacent cylindrical rings;wherein each cylindrical ring includes an open W-pattern, the open W-pattern being connected to no more than one adjacent ring, each of the cylindrical rings having a plurality of first peaks, second peaks, and third peaks, each of the first, second and third peaks having a height and an apex, the first peaks being taller than the second peaks, and the second peaks being taller than the third peaks along with a plurality of first valleys, second valleys, and third valleys, each of the first, second and third valleys having a depth and an apex, the first valleys being deeper than the second valleys, and the second valleys being deeper than the third valleys, each third peak of at least one of the cylindrical rings being connected to an adjacent cylindrical ring by one of the links and the open W-pattern is formed between one of the first peaks and one of the second peaks and each cylindrical ring includes a plurality of a first strut, a second strut, and a third strut, the first struts being longer than the second struts, and the second struts being longer than the third struts and each of the second peaks includes one of the second struts connected with another of the second struts at the apex which defines that second peak.