Stent

Abstract

A stent with strut bands and connectors, wherein the strut bands have long and short struts with a junction positioned between the short struts. Each junction defines a reservoir, wherein the reservoirs of a strut band are substantially circumferentially aligned. The connectors each have arms, wherein each arm includes an opposing U-shaped link. The opposing links have a shared portion disposed between a peak on one strut band and a longitudinally adjacent trough of an adjacent strut band.

1 . A stent comprising:
 a cylindrical body comprising a plurality of strut pairs having a first lateral side and a second lateral side, the first lateral side comprising a first straight strut segment and the second lateral side comprising a second straight strut segment, the first straight strut segment being circumferentially offset from the second straight strut segment; and   a plurality of connectors, the connectors connecting longitudinally adjacent strut pairs one to another, wherein the connectors have a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the first straight strut segment and the second end being connected to the first straight strut segment of a longitudinally adjacent strut pair, the first end being longitudinally and circumferentially offset from the second end;   the first straight strut segment and the second straight strut segment each comprise at least one reservoir, the first straight strut segments having a different number of reservoirs than the second straight strut segments and the reservoirs having therein a therapeutic agent;   wherein the strut pairs include first strut pairs and second strut pairs, first strut pairs being longitudinally offset from second strut pairs, first lateral sides of the first strut pairs being circumferentially aligned with second lateral sides of second strut pairs.   
     
     
         2 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the connectors have a connector width that is less than the width of the first straight strut segment. 
     
     
         3 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the therapeutic agent includes a polymeric material and a drug. 
     
     
         4 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the second straight strut segment has between one and twelve reservoirs. 
     
     
         5 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the stent is metallic. 
     
     
         6 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the connectors comprise at least one curved portion. 
     
     
         7 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the first straight strut segment is connected to the second straight strut segment via a curved segment. 
     
     
         8 . The stent of  claim 7 , wherein circumferentially adjacent strut pairs are connected to one another via a curved segment. 
     
     
         9 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one band comprises a serpentine pattern. 
     
     
         10 . A stent comprising:
 a band comprising a plurality of strut pairs having a first strut segment and a second strut segment, the first strut segments being circumferentially offset from the second strut segments;   a plurality of connectors, the connectors connecting longitudinally adjacent strut pairs to one another, wherein the connectors have first ends and second ends, the first ends being connected to a first strut segment and the second ends being connected to a first strut segment, the first end being contralateral to the second end;   wherein the first strut segment and the second strut segment each comprise at least one reservoir, the first strut segments having a different number of reservoirs than the second strut segments and the reservoirs having therein a therapeutic agent.   
     
     
         11 . The stent of  claim 10 , the strut pairs comprise first strut pairs and second strut pairs, the first strut pairs being longitudinally offset from the second strut pairs, wherein each of the first and second strut pairs comprises a first lateral side and a second lateral side, the first lateral side of the first strut pair being circumferentially aligned with the second lateral side of the longitudinally adjacent second strut pair. 
     
     
         12 . The stent of  claim 11 , wherein the stent is metallic. 
     
     
         13 . The stent of  claim 10 , wherein the band is helical.