Abstract: The stent comprises a flexible self-expandable braided tubular wall having a proximal segment having an outer diameter, and a distal segment having an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the proximal segment. An intermediate segment is formed between proximal and distal segments, which forms a truncated cone of which the base is forming the proximal end of the intermediate segment and of which the top is forming the distal end of the intermediate segment. A covering layer is arranged within the tubular wall.

Abstract: An expandable stent for implantation in a body lumen, such as an artery, is disclosed. The stent consists of a plurality of radially expandable cylindrical elements generally aligned on a common longitudinal stent axis and interconnected by one or more interconnecting members placed so that the stent is flexible in the longitudinal direction. The strength of the stent at a center section or at either end can be varied by increasing the mass of the struts forming each cylindrical element in that center section or end section relative to the lower mass struts in the remaining sections of the stent. Increasing the mass of the struts can be accomplished by, for a given strut thickness, increasing the width of the strut, or increasing the length of a cylindrical element.

Abstract: A bioprosthetic valve stent is fabricated from a hydrogel, and a bioprosthetic heart valve comprises such a stent. A method for fabricating a hydrogel bioprosthetic valve stent comprises filling a mold cavity with a solution of a hydrogel, allowing the hydrogel to solidity, removing the solidified hydrogel from the mold cavity and hydrating the hydrogel.

Abstract: Tubular stents are formed from a sheet of material having longitudinally extending margins and an expandable pattern between the margins. The sheet can be formed to a tube with the margins overlapped and secured. The margins may be provided with means to facilitate registration of the margins.

Abstract: A stent for expanding a lumen of a body having a structural stability along the length of the stent, as well as a good expandable force. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the stent is made of a single length of a filament and includes zigzag sections, in which the filament is wound in a zigzag manner, disposed on both end portions of the stent; and a spiral section, in which the filament is wound in a spiral manner, disposed between the zigzag sections. The zigzag section includes a plurality of bands. Each of the bands includes a series of straight portions, peak portions, and valley portions, the peak and valley portions being integrally engaged with the straight portions, and each of the bands is disposed along a circumferential direction of the stent on a plane substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis thereof; and each valley portion of the bands is twisted with a peak portion of an adjacent band.

Abstract: An operator for a Jacobs chuck has an annular support pivoted on the chuck collar for rocking movement about an axis perpendicular to the chuck axis, a gear tooth on the support between the pivot axis and the chuck ring gear which is selectively engageable with the ring gear teeth so that rocking the support causes the gear tooth to rotate the ring gear, and means permitting manual movement of the gear tooth into and out of engagement with the ring gear teeth. The annular support is counterbalanced so its center of mass is on the chuck axis, and a stabilizer normally maintains the support in a plane perpendicular to said axis.