Caped stent

Abstract

An intravascular stent having a stent body and at least one cover overlying the stent body to cover the first portion of the stent body. The cover has a first region attached to the stent body and a second region unattached to the stent body. Multiple covers can be attached to the stent body in overlapping arrangement, each cover having a free unattached end. The free ends reduce the overall stiffness of the stent.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . An intravascular stent positionable within a vessel of a patient comprising:
 a) an outer layer having a first porosity; and   b) an inner layer positioned within the outer layer, the inner layer having a second porosity greater than the first porosity, the inner layer movable from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition.   
     
     
         25 . The intravascular according to  claim 24 , wherein the inner layer is attached to the outer layer and inserted together into a patient's body. 
     
     
         26 . The intravascular stent according to  claim 24 , wherein the inner layer has a porosity greater than the porosity of the outer layer. 
     
     
         27 . The intravascular stent according to  claim 26 , wherein the porosity of the inner layer is greater than 80%. 
     
     
         28 . The intravascular stent according to  claim 24 , where the outer layer has a first length and the inner layer has a second length, and the first length is equal to the second length. 
     
     
         29 . The intravascular stent according to  claim 24 , where the outer layer has a first length and the inner layer has a second length, and the first length is different than the second length. 
     
     
         30 . The intravascular stent according to  claim 24 , further comprising a first cover attached to one or both of an inner wall and an outer wall of the outer layer to cover a first portion of the outer layer and extending longitudinally over the first portion, the first cover having a first region and an unattached region, the unattached region having a free end, the first cover attached to the outer layer at the first region to reduce porosity. 
     
     
         31 . The intravascular stent according to  claim 30 , further comprising a second cover attached to one or both of the inner wall and the outer wall of the outer layer and extending longitudinally over the second portion, the second cover having a first region and an unattached region, the unattached region of the second cover having a free end, wherein the first cover overlaps the first region of the second cover and a free end of the second cover is not overlapped by the first cover, and the free ends of the first and second covers are axially spaced. 
     
     
         32 . The intravascular stent according to  claim 24 , further comprising a first cover attached to one or both of an inner wall and an outer wall of the inner layer, the cover extending longitudinally, the first cover having a first region and an unattached region, the unattached region having a free end, the first cover attached to the inner layer at the first region. 
     
     
         33 . The intravascular according to  claim 32 , further comprising a second cover attached to one or both of an inner wall and an outer wall of the inner layer, the second cover having a first region and an unattached region, the unattached region of the second cover having a free end, wherein the first cover overlaps the first region of the second cover and the free end of the second cover is not overlapped by the first cover, and the free ends of the first and second covers are axially spaced. 
     
     
         34 . The intravascular stent according to  claim 24 , further comprising hydrogel adhered to one or both of the inner layer or outer layer. 
     
     
         35 . The intravascular stent according to  claim 30 , further comprising hydrogel adhered to one or both of the inner layer, outer layer or first cover. 
     
     
         36 . The intravascular stent according to  claim 24 , wherein the inner layer is inserted into the outer layer after the outer layer is positioned within the body. 
     
     
         37 . The intravascular stent according to  claim 36 , wherein the inner layer has a porosity greater than the porosity of the outer layer. 
     
     
         38 . The intravascular stent according to  claim 36 , wherein the outer layer has a first length and the inner layer has a second length, and the first length is equal to the second length. 
     
     
         39 . The intravascular stent according to  claim 36 , where the outer layer has a first length and the inner layer has a second length, and the first length is different than the second length. 
     
     
         40 . The intravascular stent according to  claim 36 , further comprising a first cover attached to one of the inner layer or outer layer, the first cover having a first region and an unattached region, the unattached region having a free end, the cover reducing the porosity. 
     
     
         41 . The intravascular stent according to  claim 40 , further comprising a second cover having a second region and an unattached region, the unattached region having a free end, the cover reducing the porosity. 
     
     
         42 . The intravascular stent according to  claim 36 , further comprising hydrogel adhered to one or both of the inner layer or outer layer. 
     
     
         43 . The intravascular stent according to  claim 36 , further comprising a cover and a hydrogel adhered to one or more of the inner layer, outer layer or cover.