Longitudinally flexible expandable stent

Abstract

Segmented articulatable stent of open structure comprised of end-connected struts of first and second lengths making up first and second segments with angular interconnects between adjacent first and second segments.

1 - 37 . (Canceled)  
     
     
         38 . A stent comprising 
 a first loop containing section, the first loop containing section arranged generally in the circumferential direction, the loops in said first loop containing section occurring at a first frequency;    a second loop containing section, the second loop containing section arranged generally in the circumferential direction, the loops in said second loop containing section also occurring at said first frequency; and    a third loop containing section, the loops in said third loop containing section occurring at a second frequency that is higher than said first frequency, the third loop containing section disposed in the generally circumferential space between said first and second loop containing sections and alternately joined to said first and second loop containing sections such that said first and second loop containing sections are joined together through the third loop containing section without connection directly between the first and second loop containing sections, wherein the first and second loop containing sections have three cycles for every five cycles of said third loop containing section, wherein the first loop containing section or the second loop containing section and the third loop containing section form at least one cell, the first loop containing section or the second loop containing section in the at least one cell further has at least one loop longitudinally shorter than another loop in the first loop containing section or the second loop containing section.    
     
     
         39 . A stent comprising 
 a first loop containing section, the first loop containing section arranged generally in the circumferential direction, the loops in said first loop containing section occurring at a first frequency;    a second loop containing section, the second loop containing section arranged generally in the circumferential direction, the loops in said second loop containing section also occurring at said first frequency and    a third loop containing section, the loops in said third loop containing section occurring at a second frequency that is higher than said first frequency, the third loop containing section disposed in the generally circumferential space between said first and second loop containing sections and alternately joined to said first and second loop containing sections such that said first and second loop containing sections are joined together through the third loop containing section without connection directly between the first and second loop containing sections, wherein the first and second loop containing sections have fewer cycles than the third loop containing section, wherein the first loop containing section or the second loop containing section and the third loop containing section form at least one cell, the first loop containing section or the second loop containing section in the at least one cell further has at least one loop longitudinally shorter than another loop in the first loop containing section or the second loop containing section.