Stent and method and device for fabricating the stent

Abstract

Device, system and method for fabricating a stent, the device including a reservoir that provides a supply of particles; an appliance having a high pressure generator that generates a particle beam from the supply of particles; a transport conduit that transports the particle beam; and a nozzle connected to the transport conduit that jets the particle beam outward from the device, where the nozzle is configured for insertion into a stent.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for fabricating a stent, the device comprising:
 a) a reservoir that provides a supply of particles;   b) an appliance comprising a high pressure generator that generates a particle beam from the supply of particles;   c) a transport conduit that transports the particle beam; and   d) a nozzle connected to the transport conduit that jets the particle beam outward from the device, wherein the nozzle is configured for insertion into a stent.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the particles comprise sand or pellets. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle is configured to scatter the particle beam to strike struts of a stent laterally along a luminal surface. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle is configured to scatter the particle beam in a pattern that irradiates a plurality of strut edges simultaneously when the plurality of strut edges lie within a same section of a stent that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the stent. 
     
     
         5 . A system for fabricating a stent, the system comprising:
 a) a stent comprising a plurality of struts with strut edges lying within a same section that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the stent; and   b) the device of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         6 . A method of fabricating a stent, the method comprising:
 a) providing a stent comprising a plurality of struts with strut edges lying within a same section that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the stent;   b) providing the device of  claim 1 ;   c) inserting the nozzle into a first end of the stent; and   d) simultaneously irradiating the plurality of strut edges to simultaneously round the edges.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 e) inserting the nozzle into a second end of the stent; and   f) simultaneously irradiating another plurality of strut edges of the same struts, thereby forming opposing rounded edges.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 e) inserting the nozzle into a second end of the stent; and   f) simultaneously irradiating a different plurality of strut edges of different struts, thereby forming a bidirectional stent.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of strut edges and the plurality of different strut edges are mirror images.