A stent graft includes a tubular member and a plurality of stent rings. The plurality of stent rings are alternately bent toward a central end side and toward a peripheral end side. The plurality of stent rings include a plurality of fluctuating rings and a small fixed ring. The plurality of fluctuating rings are arranged in order of a first fluctuating ring, a second fluctuating ring . . . , from the proximal end side toward the distal end side. A first distance that is a maximum value of a distance between a center position of the first fluctuating ring and a center position of the second fluctuating ring is greater than any nth distance that is a maximum value of a distance between a center position of an nth fluctuating ring and a center position of an n+1th fluctuating ring.

A method for implanting a prosthesis centrally within a curved lumen includes loading a prosthesis into a delivery sheath, advancing the sheath in a patient towards the curved lumen to place at least the proximal end of the prosthesis within the curved lumen, and centering the proximal end of the prosthesis and/or the distal end of the sheath within the curved lumen. In a first advancing step, the outer catheter containing the inner sheath is advanced together towards the curved lumen to a location proximal of the curved lumen and, in a second advancing step, the inner sheath containing the prosthesis is advanced into the curved lumen to place at least the proximal end within the curved lumen while the outer catheter substantially remains at the location. After centering, the proximal end of the prosthesis is deployed centered within the curved lumen.

A stent comprises a plurality of circumferential bands. Circumferential bands which are adjacent one another are connected one to the other. The circumferential bands include peaks and troughs interconnected by bent struts. The bands may overlap or may be connected by connectors.

A flow reducing implant for reducing blood flow in a blood vessel having a cross sectional dimension, the flow reducing implant comprising a hollow element adapted for placement in the blood vessel defining a flow passage therethrough, said flow passage comprising at least two sections, one with a larger diameter and one with a smaller diameter, wherein said smaller diameter is smaller than a cross section of the blood vessel. A plurality of tabs anchor, generally parallel to the blood vessel wall, are provided in some embodiments of the invention.

A stent design reduces the likelihood of contact among structural members when the stent diameter is reduced before insertion into the body. In one approach, an undulating link has a J-shaped profile or has an angled portion on one side at the peak of the link, in order to reduce contact during crimping. The stent may also include structural features that improve such aspects as flexibility, the coatibility of a drug coating onto the stent, flare reduction, stent retention within the body and/or reduction of the minimum diameter of the stent during crimping.

A vascular implant, in particular a prosthetic heart valve, for providing valve function, has a stent structure with a proximal conical-convex inflow region, a distal, linear cylindrical outflow region, an intermediate transition region, and a corresponding valve arrangement. When the stent structure is in the expanded state, a higher maximum radial force exists in the inlet region in direct comparison to the lower maximum radial force in the outlet region and in the transition region.

An absorbable stent includes an absorbable matrix. The matrix includes a number of wave-shaped rings connected by connection units and arranged in an axial direction. The wave-shaped ring includes a number of waves arranged in a circumferential direction. A peak, a valley and a support connecting the peak and the valley form the wave. Two adjacent wave-shaped rings and the connection unit form a closed side supporting unit. The matrix has a volume of [4, 40] μm per unit blood vessel area. The absorbable stent has sufficient radial supporting strength for clinical applications. Moreover, the volume of the matrix per unit blood vessel area is less than volumes of existing stents. When the absorbable stent and existing stents are made of the same material, the absorbable stent has a shorter degradation and absorption cycle.

A prosthesis is disclosed for placement at an Os opening from a main body lumen to a branch body lumen. The prosthesis includes a radially expansible support at one end, a circumferentially extending link at the other end and at least one frond extending axially therebetween. The support is configured to be deployed in the branch body lumen, with the circumferentially extending link in the main lumen and the frond extendable across the Os.

A stent is configured so that the length during expansion is unlikely reduced and has satisfactory flexibility so as to be able to pass through a biological lumen. In the stent, the number of mountains in a first annular portion and the number of mountains in a second annular portion between the first link portions adjacent to each other in a circumferential direction differ from each other. The first link portions are positioned on a first line parallel to an axial direction and the second link portions are positioned on a second line parallel to the axial direction, in a state where a plurality of annular reference bodies are repeatedly arranged in the axial direction.

Devices that can be delivered into a vascular system to divert flow are disclosed herein. According to some embodiments, devices are provided for treating aneurysms by diverting flow. An expandable device can comprise, for example, a plurality of connector sections and a plurality of bridge sections. Each of the connector sections may extend circumferentially about the expandable device and include a plurality of connector struts. Each of the plurality of bridge sections may be attached to and extend between two of the connector sections and comprise a plurality of parallel, non-branching, helical bridge members.