Stent

Abstract

A stent ( 32 ) configured to be placed in a body lumen and having a tubular shape formed by a structure that is expandable and contractible skeleton ( 18, 19 ) in a radial direction, the skeleton ( 18, 19 ) having a heteromorphic structure due to changes of a cross section shape thereof in a thickness direction. A stent ( 10 ) that is expandable and contractible in the radial direction while being configured to be placed in a body lumen, the stent ( 10 ) having a heteromorphic tubular shape, a cross section shape of which changes in a lengthwise direction, and having a metal skeleton ( 18, 19 ) formed by at least one of electroforming and etching.

1 .- 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A stent comprising a structure of a skeleton that is expandable and contractible in a radial direction so as to have a tubular shape, the stent being configured to be placed in a body lumen, wherein:
 the skeleton has a heteromorphic structure due to changes of a cross section shape thereof in a thickness direction; and   a thickness dimension of at least one axial end part of the skeleton is greater than a thickness dimension of an axial center part of the skeleton so that at least one end part of the stent in an axial direction has a greater rigidity than that of a center part of the stent.   
     
     
         16 . The stent according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the skeleton comprises a plurality of annular parts provided at a designated distance from each other in the axial direction, and link parts linking adjacent annular parts in the axial direction; and   the link parts have a thickness dimension that is less than a thickness dimension of the annular parts.   
     
     
         17 . The stent according to  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the link parts is positioned at a center part in a thickness direction of the annular parts. 
     
     
         18 . The stent according to  claim 15 , wherein a recess is provided on a surface of the skeleton, and the recess is formed by a through hole. 
     
     
         19 . The stent according to  claim 15 , wherein with the cross section shape of the skeleton, a width dimension becomes larger from an inner circumference surface thereof toward an outer circumference surface thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The stent according to  claim 15 , wherein with the cross section shape of the skeleton, an included angle of side surfaces of the cross section shape in a circumference direction is greater than a central angle of an arc of an outer circumference surface of the cross section shape. 
     
     
         21 . The stent according to  claim 15 , wherein the skeleton is a metal skeleton formed by at least one of electroforming and etching. 
     
     
         22 . The stent according to  claim 15 , wherein the at least one end part for which the rigidity is greater than that of the center part has a smaller rigidity at a terminal part thereof at an axial outside. 
     
     
         23 . The stent according to  claim 15 , wherein a weak part for which strength is made partially lower than other parts of the skeleton is formed in the skeleton by at least one of electroforming and etching. 
     
     
         24 . The stent according to  claim 23 , wherein a cross section area of the weak part is smaller than a cross section area of the other parts of the skeleton so as to be more easily deformable.