Stent

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a stent including a stent body having a stent axis. The stent body includes structural members defining openings through the stent body. The structural members are provided with regions having different widths. The relative sizes of the widths are selected to control the length of the stent body as the stent body is radially expanded from an un-deployed orientation to a deployed orientation. In one embodiment, the regions having different widths are provided by tapering the widths of selected segments of the structural member.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A stent comprising: 
 a stent body having a stent axis;    the stent body including a structural member extending in an undulating pattern about a circumference of the stent body;    the structural member including a plurality of segments that extend generally longitudinally along the stent axis; and    at least some of the segments having widths that taper as the at least some segments extend longitudinally along the stent axis.    
     
     
         2 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein a taper angle of the widths is selected to minimize a length change of the stent body as the stent body is radially expanded from an un-deployed orientation to a deployed orientation.  
     
     
         3 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the at least some segments include pairs of tapered segments, the pairs of tapered segments being interconnected by non-tapered segments.  
     
     
         4 . The stent of  claim 3 , wherein the non-tapered segments are skewed relative to the stent axis.  
     
     
         5 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the segments are substantially straight.  
     
     
         6 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the stent body is made of a shape-memory metal.  
     
     
         7 . A stent comprising: 
 a stent body having a stent axis;    the stent body including a plurality of cell structures defining a plurality of cells;    the cell structures including structural members that extend in an undulating pattern about a circumference of the stent body;    the structural members including segments that extend generally longitudinally along the stent axis;    the structural members including peaks and valleys;    the cell structures being interconnected at connection locations;    at least some of the segments extending from the connection locations to the peaks and valleys; and    the at least some segments having enlarged first widths adjacent the connection locations as compared to smaller second widths located adjacent the peaks and valleys.    
     
     
         8 . The stent of  claim 7 , wherein the at least some of the segments are provided with a narrowing width taper that extends between the first and second widths.  
     
     
         9 . The stent of  claim 7 , wherein the relative sizes of the first and second widths are selected to minimize a length change of the stent body as the stent body is radially expanded from an un-deployed orientation to a deployed orientation.  
     
     
         10 . The stent of  claim 7 , wherein the at least some segments include pairs of tapered segments positioned at the connection locations, the pairs of tapered segments being interconnected by non-tapered segments.  
     
     
         11 . The stent of  claim 10 , wherein the non-tapered segments are skewed relative to the stent axis.  
     
     
         12 . The stent of  claim 7 , wherein the segments are straight.  
     
     
         13 . The stent of  claim 7 , wherein the connection locations include longitudinal connection locations and circumferential connection locations.  
     
     
         14 . The stent of  claim 13 , wherein the cells are symmetrical about first axes extending through the circumferential connection locations, and the cells are also symmetrical about second axes extending through the longitudinal connection locations.  
     
     
         15 . A stent comprising: 
 a stent body having a stent axis;    the stent body including a structural member extending in an undulating pattern about a circumference of the stent body;    the structural member including peaks and valleys, and also including segments that interconnect the peaks and valleys; and    at least some of the segments having widths that taper along lengths of the at least some segments.    
     
     
         16 . The stent of  claim 15 , wherein the segments are substantially straight.  
     
     
         17 . The stent of  claim 15 , wherein the structural members form cell structures that are interconnected at connection locations, and wherein the at least some segments have larger widths adjacent the connection locations than adjacent the peaks and valleys.  
     
     
         18 . The stent of  claim 15 , wherein a taper angle of the widths is selected to control a length change of the stent body as the stent body is radially expanded from an un-deployed orientation to a deployed orientation.  
     
     
         19 . The stent of  claim 18 , wherein the taper angle is selected to minimize a length change of the stent body as the stent body is expanded from the un-deployed orientation to the deployed orientation.  
     
     
         20 . A stent comprising: 
 a stent body having a stent axis, the stent body being radially expandable from a non-deployed orientation having a first length to a deployed orientation having a second length;    the stent body including a structural member extending in an undulating pattern about a circumference of the stent body; and    the first length being substantially equal to the second length.    
     
     
         21 . A method for making a stent, the method comprising: 
 constructing a stent body having a stent axis, the stent body including structural members defining openings through the stent body; and    during construction of the stent body, providing at least some of the structural members with regions having first and second different widths, the relative sizes of the first and second widths being selected to control a length of the stent body as the stent body is radially expanded from an un-deployed orientation to a deployed orientation.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the relative sizes of the widths are selected to minimize a length variation when the stent body is radially expanded from the un-deployed orientation to the deployed orientation.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising providing the structural members with a gradual taper in width between the first and second widths.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the segments are substantially straight.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising shape-setting the stent body to an expanded diameter corresponding to the deployed orientation after the stent body has been constructed.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the structural members extend in undulating patterns.  
     
     
         27 . A stent comprising: 
 a stent body that is radially expandable from an un-deployed orientation to a deployed orientation;    the stent body including structural members defining openings through the stent body;    the structural members including segments having first regions with enlarged widths and second regions with more narrow widths; and    the relative sizes of the enlarged widths and the more narrow widths are selected to control a length of the stent body as the stent body is expanded from the un-deployed orientation to the deployed orientation.    
     
     
         28 . The stent of  claim 27 , wherein the relative sizes of widths are selected to minimize a change in the length of the stent body as the stent body is expanded from the un-deployed orientation to the deployed orientation.  
     
     
         29 . The stent of  claim 27 , wherein widths of the segments gradually taper between the enlarged widths and the more narrow widths.  
     
     
         30 . The stent of  claim 29 , wherein the segments are substantially straight between the first regions and the second regions.  
     
     
         31 . The stent of  claim 30 , wherein between the first and second regions, the segments extend in a generally longitudinal direction relative to an axis of the stent.