Bifurcated axially flexible stent

Claim 2

A bifurcated stent comprising a first stent portion having first and second ends with an intermediate section therebetween, the 1st stent further having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of longitudinally disposed cells, wherein each cell has an opening therein; and a second stent portion having first and second ends with an intermediate section therebetween, the 2nd stent further having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of longitudinally disposed cells, wherein each cell has an opening therein; and each of said stent portions capable of expanding from a first respective diameter to a larger second respective diameter; and wherein said second stent portion is configured in its said first respective diameter passing through a cell of the first stent portion in its first diameter.

Claim 3

A stent according to claim 1, each said stent formed by a series of longitudinally extending struts connected by links, wherein each link is axially displaced from any circumferentially adjacent link.

Claim 4

A stent according to claim 2, wherein, at each one of a first group of common axial positions, there is a circumferential link between each of a first set of adjacent pairs of struts.

Claim 5

A stent according to claim 3, wherein, at each one of a second group of common axial positions, there is a circumferential link between each of a second set of adjacent rows of struts, wherein, along the longitudinal axis, a common axial position occurs alternately in the first group and in the second group, and the first and second sets are selected so that a given strut is linked to a neighboring strut at only one of the first and second groups of common axial positions.

Claim 6

A stent according to claim 2, wherein the spatial frequency of the wave associated with each of the struts is decreased in a first end region lying proximate to the first end and in a second end region lying proximate to the second end, in comparison to the spatial frequency of the wave in the intermediate section.

Claim 7

A bifurcated stent system comprising in combination: a pair of balloons aligned parallel with one another, said balloons each loaded with at least one stent and said stents maintained generally parallel with each other as they are guided along said balloon into the lumen of a body; and a first stent portion having first and second ends with an intermediate section therebetween, the stent further having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of longitudinally disposed cells, wherein each cell has an opening therein; and a second stent portion having first and second ends with an intermediate section therebetween, the stent further having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of longitudinally disposed cells, wherein each cell has an opening therein; and each of said stent portions capable of expanding from a first respective diameter to a larger second respective diameter; and wherein said second stent portion is configured in its said first respective diameter passing through a cell of the first stent portion in its first diameter; and such that said respective stent portions are aligned on said balloon to be parallel to one another.

Claim 8

A bifurcated stent system comprising in combination: a pair of balloons aligned parallel with one another, said balloons each loaded with at least one stent and said stents maintained generally parallel with each other as they are guided along said balloon into the lumen of a body; and a first stent portion having first and second ends with an intermediate section therebetween, the stent further having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of longitudinally disposed cells, wherein each cell has an opening therein; and a second stent portion having first and second ends with an intermediate section therebetween, the stent further having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of longitudinally disposed cells, wherein each cell has an opening therein; and each of said stent portions capable of expanding from a first respective diameter to a larger second respective diameter; and wherein said second stent portion is configured in its said first respective diameter passing through a cell of the first stent portion in its first diameter; and such that said respective stent portions are aligned on said balloon to be parallel to one another.

Claim 9

A combination according to claim 6, each said stent formed by a series of longitudinally extending struts connected by links, wherein each link is axially displaced from any circumferentially adjacent link.

Claim 10

The combination according to claim 7, wherein, at each one of a first group of common axial positions, there is a circumferential link between each of a first set of adjacent pairs of struts.

Claim 11

The combination according to claim 8, wherein, at each one of a second group of common axial positions, there is a circumferential link between each of a second set of adjacent rows of struts, wherein, along the longitudinal axis, a common axial position occurs alternately in the first group and in the second group, and the first and second sets are selected so that a given strut is linked to a neighboring strut at only one of the first and second groups of common axial positions.

Claim 12

The combination according to claim 7, wherein the spatial frequency of the wave associated with each of the struts is decreased in a first end region lying proximate to the first end and in a second end region lying proximate to the second end, in comparison to the spatial frequency of the wave in the intermediate section.

Claim 13

A bifurcated balloon system, said bifurcated balloon capable of being passed through a lumen of the body, said bifurcated balloon containing at least two balloons, a first of said balloons capable of being placed within a first lumen and said second balloon capable of being placed in a second lumen when said first balloon is placed within said first lumen further comprising a bifurcated stent placed on said combination, said bifurcated stent comprising: a first stent portion having first and second ends with an intermediate section therebetween, the stent further having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of longitudinally disposed cells, wherein each cell has an opening therein; and a second stent portion having first and second ends with an intermediate section therebetween, the stent further having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of longitudinally disposed cells, wherein each cell has an opening therein; and each of said stent portions capable of expanding from a first respective diameter to a larger second respective diameter; and wherein said second stent portion is configured in its said first respective diameter passing through a cell of the first stent portion in its first diameter.

Claim 14

A bifurcated balloon system, said bifurcated balloon capable of being passed through a lumen of the body, said bifurcated balloon containing at least two balloons, a first of said balloons capable of being placed within a first lumen and said second balloon capable of being placed in a second lumen when said first balloon is placed within said first lumen further comprising a bifurcated stent placed on said combination, said bifurcated stent comprising: a first stent portion having first and second ends with an intermediate section therebetween, the stent further having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of longitudinally disposed cells, wherein each cell has an opening therein; and a second stent portion having first and second ends with an intermediate section therebetween, the stent further having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of longitudinally disposed cells, wherein each cell has an opening therein; and each of said stent portions capable of expanding from a first respective diameter to a larger second respective diameter; and wherein said second stent portion is configured in its said first respective diameter passing through a cell of the first stent portion in its first diameter.

Claim 15

A system according to claim 11, wherein each said stent formed by a series of longitudinally extending struts connected by links, wherein each link is axially displaced from any circumferentially adjacent link.

Claim 16

A system according to claim 12, wherein, at each one of a first group of common axial positions, there is a circumferential link between each of a first set of adjacent pairs of struts.

Claim 17

A system according to claim 13, wherein, at each one of a second group of common axial positions, there is a circumferential link between each of a second set of adjacent rows of struts, wherein, along the longitudinal axis, a common axial position occurs alternately in the first group and in the second group, and the first and second sets are selected so that a given strut is linked to a neighboring strut at only one of the first and second groups of common axial positions.

Claim 18

A system according to claim 12, wherein the spatial frequency of the wave associated with each of the struts is decreased in a first end region lying proximate to the first end and in a second end region lying proximate to the second end, in comparison to the spatial frequency of the wave in the intermediate section.

Claim 19

A stent containing: at least two stents, comprising at least a first stent and at least a second stent, each of said stents having an opening in its lateral wall, and one of said stents capable of being emplaced through said lateral wall opening so that a portion of said second stent is maintained separate from said first stent; and wherein said stents are capable of being rotated one with respect to the other in order to maintain said stents in close-fitting relationship to each other in a bifurcated lumen of the body.

Claim 20

A stent containing: at least two stents, comprising at least a first stent and at least a second stent, each of said stents having an opening in its lateral wall, and one of said stents capable of being emplaced through said lateral wall opening so that a portion of said second stent is maintained separate from said first stent; and wherein said stents are capable of being rotated one with respect to the other in order to maintain said stents in close-fitting relationship to each other in a bifurcated lumen of the body.

Claim 21

The system of claim 16 wherein said said first and second stents comprise a bifurcated stent comprising: a first stent portion having first and second ends with an intermediate section therebetween, the stent further having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of longitudinally disposed cells, wherein each cell has an opening therein; and a second stent portion having first and second ends with an intermediate section therebetween, the stent further having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of longitudinally disposed cells, wherein each cell has an opening therein; and each of said stent portions capable of expanding from a first respective diameter to a larger second respective diameter; and wherein said second stent portion is configured in its said first respective diameter passing through a cell of the first stent portion in its first diameter.

Claim 24

The method of claim 18 wherein said stent further comprises: a first stent portion having first and second ends with an intermediate section therebetween, the stent further having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of longitudinally disposed cells, wherein each cell has an opening therein; and a second stent portion having first and second ends with an intermediate section therebetween, the stent further having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of longitudinally disposed cells, wherein each cell has an opening therein; and each of said stent portions capable of expanding from a first respective diameter to a larger second respective diameter; and wherein said second stent portion is configured in its said first respective diameter passing through a cell of the first stent portion in its first diameter.