High strength and high density intraluminal wire stent

Abstract

An intraluminally implantable stent is formed of helically wound wire. The stent has a generally elongate tubular configuration and is radially expandable after implantation in a body vessel. The wire includes successively formed waves along the length of the wire. When helically wound into a tube, the waves are longitudinally nested along the longitudinal extent of the stent so as to form a densely compacted wire configuration. After radial expansion the stent maintains high radial compressive strength and wire density to retard tissue ingrowth.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An intraluminal stent comprising: 
 a generally elongate tubular body formed of an elongate helically wound wire, the wire being formed into successive waves along the length of the wire, the waves being arranged in non-overlapping longitudinally spaced succession along the length of said tube, the longitudinal spacing of the helical windings being less than twice the amplitude of the wave.    
     
     
         2 . An intraluminal stent of  claim 1  wherein longitudinally adjacent ones of said waves are longitudinally nested along the length of said tubular body.  
     
     
         3 . An intraluminal stent of  claim 2  wherein said longitudinally nested waves define peaks which are linerally aligned.  
     
     
         4 . An intraluminal stent of  claim 1  wherein said longitudinal spacing of the helical windings is less than the amplitude of the wave.  
     
     
         5 . An intraluminal stent of  claim 1  wherein said stent includes said wire being helically wound in non-overlapping disposition and wherein said wire defines an open area between said helically wound wire and wherein said percentage of open surface area of said stent in relationship to the total surface area of said stent is less than 30% in the closed condition.  
     
     
         6 . An intraluminal stent of  claim 1  wherein said tubular body is uniformly flexible along the length thereof.  
     
     
         7 . An intraluminal stent of  claim 6  wherein said stent is radially expandable after intraluminal implantation.  
     
     
         8 . A radially expandable generally tubular endoluminal implantable prosthesis comprising: 
 a wire which is wound in a helical configuration to define a generally elongate tubular body, the wire including successively formed waves along the length of said wire, each wire wave being non-overlappingly nested within the wave formed longitudinally thereadjacent.    
     
     
         9 . A prosthesis of  claim 8  wherein said wire waves are of generally uniform configuration defining a peak-to-peak amplitude of a preselected first dimension.  
     
     
         10 . A prosthesis of  claim 9  wherein said longitudinally adjacent wire waves are spaced apart a preselected second dimension which is less than the preselected first dimension.  
     
     
         11 . A prosthesis of  claim 10  wherein said wire has a given wire diameter and wherein said wound wire defines a generally cylindrical outer surface having solid portions formed by said wire and open portions formed between said wound wire.  
     
     
         12 . A prosthesis of  claim 11  wherein said generally cylindrical outer surface defines a total surface area including an open surface and a wire surface and wherein said non-expanded wire surface substantially exceeds said open surface.  
     
     
         13 . A prosthesis of  claim 12  wherein said open surface area is less than 30% of said total surface area.  
     
     
         14 . An intraluminal stent comprising: 
 an elongate tubular body formed of a single wound wire;    said wire having a wave-like pattern defining a plurality of waves formed along the length of said wire, each said wave defining a leg segment between wave peaks, each leg segment being of a length different from the next adjacent leg segment.    
     
     
         15 . An intraluminal stent of  claim 14  wherein said wire is wound about a central axis forming said tubular body.  
     
     
         16 . An intraluminal stent of  claim 15  wherein tubular body includes longitudinally successive waves along the length thereof, each said wave being nested within the wave formed longitudinally thereadjacent.  
     
     
         17 . An intraluminal stent of  claim 14  wherein each wave is defined by a peak and a pair of wave leg segments extending from said peak.  
     
     
         18 . An intraluminal stent of  claim 17  wherein one of said wave leg segments of said pair has a length greater than the other wave leg segment of said pair.