| abstract |
A medical device for use in supporting a luminal surface of a human or animal body comprising a catheter, a stent mounted on the distal end of the catheter, the stent comprising a hollow cylindrical first wire segment and a hollow cylindrical second wire segment, and a means on the catheter for releasing the stent in the expanded diameter from the catheter. The first wire segment forms a plurality of spaced-apart first wire segment elements each extending 360 degrees around the hollow cylinder, each of the first wire segment elements having a plurality of extendible portions which permit the first wire segment elements to be expanded from the unexpanded diameter to a second, expanded diameter, the first wire segment proximal end having a straight tail extending proximally and longitudinally therefrom. The second wire segment forming a plurality of spaced-apart second wire segment elements each extending 360 degrees around the hollow cylinder, each of the second wire segment elements having a plurality of extendible portions which permit the second wire segment elements to be expanded from the unexpanded diameter to a second, expanded diameter, the second wire segment distal end having a straight tail extending distally and longitudinally therefrom. |