Intravascular stent

Abstract

A stent in a non-expanded state has a first column expansion strut pair. A plurality of the first column expansion strut pair form a first expansion column. A plurality of second column expansion strut pair form a second expansion column. A plurality of first serial connecting struts form a first connecting strut column that couples the first expansion column to the second expansion column. The first expansion column, the second expansion column, and the first connecting strut column form a plurality of geometric cells. At least a portion of the plurality are asymmetrical geometric cells.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A tubular stent with a plurality of expansion columns and connector columns arranged along a longitudinal axis in a horizontal plane, comprising: 
 a plurality of expansion columns having expansion strut pairs, the plurality of expansion columns including an unbroken first expansion column made of a plurality of first expansion strut pairs each having a first expansion strut and an adjacent second expansion strut, and a second unbroken expansion column made of a plurality of second expansion strut pairs each having a first expansion strut and an adjacent second expansion strut, wherein expansion strut pairs of each expansion column of the plurality of expansion columns have geometric configurations similar to the first expansion column or the second expansion column; and    a plurality of connector columns that couple adjacent expansion columns, the plurality of connector columns including a first connector column that couples the first and second expansion columns, each connector column of the plurality of connector columns having at least one or more connector struts selectively skipped and leaving a bank connector strut space between adjacent expansion columns.    
     
     
         2 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the skipped connector struts increase a flexibility of the connector columns.  
     
     
         3 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the skipped connector struts enlarge a size of a related stent cell.  
     
     
         4 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein a first connector column having at least one connector strut skipped, leaving a blank connector space in a first connector column and one link missing between first and second expansion columns.  
     
     
         5 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein each of plurality of connector columns having at least one connector strut skipped, leaving at least one connector space blank in each of plurality of connector columns and at least one link missing between each adjacent expansion columns of plurality of expansion columns.  
     
     
         6 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein some of plurality of connector columns having at least one connector strut skipped, leaving at least one connector space blank in some of plurality of connector columns and at least one link missing between some of adjacent expansion columns of plurality of expansion columns.  
     
     
         7 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein a first connector column having more than one connector strut skipped, leaving more than one connector space blank in a first connector column and more than one link missing between first and second expansion columns.  
     
     
         8 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein each of plurality of connector columns having more than one connector strut skipped, leaving more than one connector space blank in each of plurality of connector columns and more than one link missing between each adjacent expansion columns of plurality of expansion columns.  
     
     
         9 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein some of plurality of connector columns having more than one connector strut skipped, leaving more than one connector space blank in some of plurality of connector columns and more than one link missing between some of adjacent expansion columns of plurality of expansion columns.  
     
     
         10 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein a first connector column having every connector strut except one connector strut skipped, leaving every connector space blank except one connector strut space in a first connector column and every link, except one link, missing between a first and a second expansion columns.  
     
     
         11 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein each of plurality of connector columns having every connector strut except one connector strut skipped, leaving every connector space blank except one connector strut space in each of plurality of connector columns and every link, except one link, missing between each adjacent expansion columns of plurality of expansion columns.  
     
     
         12 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein some of plurality of connector columns having every connector strut except one connector strut skipped, leaving every connector space blank except one connector strut space in some of plurality of connector columns and every link, except one link, missing between some of adjacent expansion columns of plurality of expansion columns.  
     
     
         13 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein a first connector column having every connector strut except two connector struts skipped, leaving every connector strut space blank except two connector struts in a first connector column and every link, except two links, missing between a first and a second expansion columns.  
     
     
         14 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein each of plurality of connector columns having every connector strut except two connector struts skipped, leaving every connector strut space blank except two connector struts in each of plurality of connector columns and every link, except two links, missing between each adjacent expansion columns of plurality of expansion columns.  
     
     
         15 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein some of plurality of connector columns having every connector strut except two connector struts skipped, leaving every connector strut space blank except two connector struts in some of plurality of connector columns and every link, except two links, missing between some of adjacent expansion columns of plurality of expansion columns.  
     
     
         16 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein a first connector column having every connector strut, except three connector struts, skipped, leaving every connector strut space blank except three connector struts in a first connector column and every link, except three links, missing between a first and a second expansion columns.  
     
     
         17 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein each of plurality of connector column having every connector strut, except three connector struts skipped leaving every connector strut space blank except three connector struts in each of plurality of connector column and every link, except three links, missing between each adjacent expansion columns of plurality of expansion columns.  
     
     
         18 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein some of plurality of connector column having every connector strut, except three connector struts skipped leaving every connector strut space blank except three connector struts in some of plurality of connector columns and every link, except three links missing in some of adjacent expansion columns of plurality of expansion columns.  
     
     
         19 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein a first connector column having every other connector struts skipped leaving every other connector strut space blank in a first connector column and every other link missing between first and second expansion columns.  
     
     
         20 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein each of plurality of connector columns having every other connector struts skipped leaving every other connector strut space blank in each of plurality of connector columns and every other link missing between each adjacent expansion columns of plurality of expansion columns.  
     
     
         21 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein some of plurality of connector columns having every other connector struts skipped leaving every other connector strut space blank in some of plurality of connector columns and every other link missing in some of adjacent expansion columns of plurality of expansion column.  
     
     
         22 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein said stent is a balloon expandable stent.  
     
     
         23 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein said stent is self-expanding stent.