Stent for the transluminal implantation in hollow organs

Claim 2

A stent for transluminal implantation in hollow organs including blood vessels, ureters, oesophagae and gall tracts, the stent comprising: a body having a substantially tubular wall with a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, the wall having a compressed state with a first cross-sectional diameter and an expanded state with a second cross-sectional diameter larger than the first cross-sectional diameter; apertures of the body spaced in a longitudinal direction along the tubular wall and in a circumferential direction around the tubular wall for permitting the wall to expand from the compressed state to the expanded state, the apertures forming slot openings in the wall in the compressed state; and sections of the slot openings with each slot opening having a plurality of sections that extend obliquely relative to the longitudinal axis.

Claim 3

Stent in accordance with claims 1, characterized in that the sections of each of the slot openings form a substantially zig-zag pattern.

Claim 4

Stent in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the sections of each of the slot openings form a pattern having a substantially z-shape.

Claim 5

Stent in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the slot openings have a substantially sinusoidal shape.

Claim 6

Stent in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the sections of each of the slot openings form a pattern having a substantially s-shape.

Claim 7

Stent in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the sections form an angle with the longitudinal axis of the stent wall in the compressed state that is in the range of between 1° and 75°.

Claim 8

The stent of claim 6 wherein the range is between 10° and 45°.

Claim 9

Stent in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the sections of each of the slot openings in the compressed state have a predetermined orientation so that the slot openings are symmetrical about a point in both the longitudinal and circumferential directions.

Claim 10

Stent in accordance with claim 8, characterized in that the slot openings each have spaced ends that are arranged on a line parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stent wall.

Claim 11

Stent in accordance with claim 9, characterized in that the point of symmetry of each slot opening is arranged on the line parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stent wall at the centre between the two ends of the slot openings.

Claim 12

Stent in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the tubular wall of the body has portions lying between the slot openings which form boundary elements for the slot openings which can be dilated for the expansion of the stent wall.

Claim 13

Stent in accordance with claim 11, characterized in that the tubular wall includes boundary elements which are arranged adjacent to one another in the circumferential direction and a connecting web between the adjacent boundary elements.

Claim 14

Stent in accordance with claim 12, characterized in that the connecting web is disposed in the region of the centre between two ends of the boundary elements.

Claim 15

Stent in accordance with claim 11, characterized in that longitudinally adjacent boundary elements have respective ends that are connected to one another via resilient intermediate elements.

Claim 16

Stent in accordance with claim 14, characterized in that the intermediate elements each have sections which are arranged obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the stent wall.

Claim 17

Stent in accordance with claim 14, characterized in that the intermediate elements are V-shaped.

Claim 18

Stent in accordance with claim 14, characterized in that the connecting webs between the boundary elements and between the boundary elements and the intermediate elements are tapered in the radial and/or axial directions.

Claim 19

Stent in accordance with claim 12, characterized in that the connecting webs between the boundary elements are tapered in the radial and/or axial direction.

Claim 20

Stent in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the tubular wall is manufactured from memory metal.

Claim 21

The stent of claim 19 whereas the memory metal comprises Nitinol.

Claim 22

Stent in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the tubular wall is manufactured from a plastic compatible with the body.

Claim 23

The stent of claim 21 wherein the plastic is one of polyethylene, polyamide and polyurethane elastomers.

Claim 24

Stent in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that a resilient jacket is provided about the tubular wall.

Claim 25

Stent in accordance with claim 23, characterized in that the resilient jacket consists of plastic.

Claim 26

The stent of claim 24 wherein the plastic is one of polyethylene, polyamide and polyurethane elastomers.

Claim 27

Stent in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the cross-sectional diameter of the tubular wall lies between 1 mm and 5 cm.

Claim 28

The stent of claim 26 wherein the cross-sectional diameter of the tubular wall lies between 3 mm and 3 cm.

Claim 29

The stent of claim 1 wherein the slot openings each comprise three sections that extend obliquely to the longitudinal axis.

Claim 30

A stent for transluminal implantation in hollow organs including blood vessels, ureters, oesophagae and gall tracts, the stent comprising: a body having a substantially tubular wall with a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, the wall having a compressed state with a first cross-sectional diameter and an expanded state with a second cross-sectional diameter larger than the first cross-sectional diameter; apertures of the body spaced in a longitudinal direction along the tubular wall and in a circumferential direction around the tubular wall for permitting the wall to expand from the compressed state to the expanded state the apertures forming slot openings in the wall in the compressed state; and sections of the slot openings with each slot opening having a plurality of sections that extend obliquely relative to the longitudinal axis, characterized in that at least one end of the tubular wall has a thicker portion extending in the circumferential direction.

Claim 31

A stent for transluminal implantation in hollow organs including blood vessels, ureters, oesophagae and gall tracts, the stent comprising: a body having a substantially tubular wall with a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, the wall having a compressed state with a first cross-sectional diameter and an expanded state with a second cross-sectional diameter larger than the first cross-sectional diameter; apertures of the body spaced in a longitudinal direction along the tubular wall and in a circumferential direction around the tubular wall for permitting the wall to expand from the compressed state to the expanded state the apertures forming slot openings in the wall in the compressed state; and sections of the slot openings with each slot opening having a plurality of sections that extend obliquely relative to the longitudinal axis, characterized in that at least one end of the tubular wall has a thicker portion extending in the circumferential direction.

Claim 32

Stent in accordance with claim 29, characterized in that the thicker portion projects outwardly in a radial direction.

Claim 33

A stent for transluminal implantation in hollow organs including blood vessels, ureters, oesophagae and gall tracts, the stent comprising: a body having a substantially tubular wall with a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, the wall having a compressed state with a first cross-sectional diameter and an expanded state with a second cross-sectional diameter larger than the first cross-sectional diameter; apertures of the body spaced in a longitudinal direction along the tubular wall and in a circumferential direction around the tubular wall for permitting the wall to expand from the compressed state to the expanded state, the apertures forming slot openings in the wall in the compressed state; and sections of the slot openings with each slot opening having a plurality of sections that extend obliquely relative to the longitudinal axis characterized in that a resilient jacket is provided about the tubular wall, and a radially outwardly directed thicker portion is provided at each end of the tubular wall and the resilient jacket is arranged between the radially projecting thicker portions.

Claim 34

A stent for transluminal implantation in hollow organs including blood vessels, ureters, oesophagae and gall tracts, the stent comprising: a body having a substantially tubular wall with a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, the wall having a compressed state with a first cross-sectional diameter and an expanded state with a second cross-sectional diameter larger than the first cross-sectional diameter; apertures of the body spaced in a longitudinal direction along the tubular wall and in a circumferential direction around the tubular wall for permitting the wall to expand from the compressed state to the expanded state, the apertures forming slot openings in the wall in the compressed state; and sections of the slot openings with each slot opening having a plurality of sections that extend obliquely relative to the longitudinal axis characterized in that a resilient jacket is provided about the tubular wall, and a radially outwardly directed thicker portion is provided at each end of the tubular wall and the resilient jacket is arranged between the radially projecting thicker portions.

Claim 35

Stent in accordance with claim 31, characterized in that the material thickness of the resilient jacket and the radial dimensions of the projecting thicker portion are of substantially the same size.