Intravascular stent

Abstract

The invention is directed to an expandable stent for implanting in a body lumen, such as a coronary artery, peripheral artery, or other body lumen. The invention provides for an intravascular stent having a plurality of cylindrical rings connected by undulating links. The stent has a high degree of flexibility in the longitudinal direction, yet has adequate vessel wall coverage and radial strength sufficient to hold open an artery or other body lumen. The stent can be compressed or crimped onto a catheter to a very low profile since the peaks that are adjacent the curved portion of the undulating link are shorter than other peaks in the same cylindrical ring to prevent overlap yet still achieve a very low profile, tightly crimped stent onto a catheter.

1 .- 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising:
 a plurality of cylindrical rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis and interconnected to form the stent, each cylindrical ring having a first delivery diameter and a second implanted diameter;   each cylindrical ring having a plurality of peaks;   each cylindrical ring having a plurality of valleys;   a plurality of undulating links attaching each cylindrical ring to an adjacent cylindrical ring;   each undulating link having a hinge comprised of a curved portion connected to a first straight portion and a second straight portion, the hinge being attached to a first arm and a second arm, the first arm being substantially longer than the second arm;   each undulating link first arm being attached to an inner curved portion of one of the valleys and the second arm being attached to an outer curved portion of one of the valleys; and   wherein the hinge provides longitudinal flexibility to the stent without expanding when the stent is expanded from the first delivery diameter to the second implanted diameter.   
     
     
         28 . The stent of  claim 27 , wherein the first straight portion of the undulating links is perpendicular to the stent longitudinal axis when the stent is in the first delivery diameter configuration. 
     
     
         29 . The stent of  claim 27 , wherein the first straight portion of the undulating links is perpendicular to the stent longitudinal axis when the stent is in the second implanted diameter configuration. 
     
     
         30 . The stent of  claim 27 , further including a proximal end ring and a distal end ring, each of the distal end ring and the proximal end ring being connected to adjacent cylindrical rings by three straight links. 
     
     
         31 . The stent of  claim 27 , wherein the stent is formed from a metal alloy. 
     
     
         32 . The stent of  claim 31 , wherein the stent is formed from any of the group of metal alloys consisting of stainless steel, tantalum, nickel-titanium, cobalt-chromium and titanium. 
     
     
         33 . The stent of  claim 27 , wherein the stent is formed from a shape memory alloy. 
     
     
         34 . The stent of  claim 27 , wherein at least a portion of the stent has a variable thickness configuration. 
     
     
         35 . The stent of  claim 27 , wherein the undulating links attaching a first pair of cylindrical rings are circumferentially offset from the undulating links attaching an adjacent pair of cylindrical rings. 
     
     
         36 . The stent of  claim 27 , wherein the undulating links attaching a first cylindrical ring to a second cylindrical ring are circumferentially offset from the undulating links attaching the second cylindrical ring to a third cylindrical ring. 
     
     
         37 . The stent of  claim 27 , wherein the stent does not substantially shorten when expanded. 
     
     
         38 . The stent of  claim 27 , wherein an outer surface of the stent has a biocompatible drug coating.