| abstract |
The present invention provides a stent that is placed within a tubular organ, blood vessel, or other tubular body lumen. Such stents consist of a stent body characterized by a free cylindrical shape having a free diameter of resilient material. The stent body is at least partially covered with a cover to sufficiently prevent the stent body from expanding to the free diameter when the stent body is placed at a diameter smaller than the free diameter. In an embodiment, the cover is a metal coating on the stent body. In another embodiment, the cover is a tube, or multiple rings, around the stent body. The present invention also provides a method for placing a stent in a tubular organ, blood vessel or other tubular body lumen. |