A stent comprises at least one segment. The segment comprises a first tubular closed ring section, a second tubular closed ring section, a first generally helical section having a first end and a second end, and a second generally helical section having a first end and a second end. The first ends of the first and second generally helical sections extend from the first tubular closed ring section and the second ends extend from the second tubular closed ring section. The first and second generally helical sections both extend in the same direction about the longitudinal axis of the stent.
1. A stent comprising:
a first non-helical ring section comprising at least one serpentine band having peaks and troughs and struts extending therebetween;
a second non-helical ring section comprising at least one serpentine band having peaks and troughs and struts extending therebetween;
a third non-helical ring section comprising at least one serpentine band having peaks and troughs and struts extending therebetween;
a first generally helical portion, the first generally helical portion including at least two side-by-side generally helical paths which extend in the same direction about the longitudinal axis of the stent, each of the at least two generally helical paths extending about a longitudinal axis of the stent for at least 360 degrees and having a first end, a second end, a plurality of peaks, and a plurality of troughs, the first ends of the at least two generally helical paths being directly engaged to the first non-helical ring section, the second ends of the at least two generally helical paths being directly engaged to the second non-helical ring section, the first non-helical ring section being adjacent to the second non-helical ring section; and
a second generally helical portion, the second generally helical portion including at least two side-by-side generally helical paths which extend in the same direction about the longitudinal axis of the stent, each of the at least two generally helical paths extending about the longitudinal axis of the stent for at least 360 degrees and having a first end and a second end, a plurality of peaks and a plurality of troughs, the first ends of the at least two generally helical paths being directly engaged to the second non-helical ring section, the second ends of the at least two generally helical paths being directly engaged to the third non-helical ring section, the second non-helical ring section being adjacent to the third non-helical ring section.
2. The stent of claim 1 wherein one or more of the non-helical rings sections are in the form of a closed ring section which forms a closed pathway around a longitudinal axis of the stent.
3. The stent of claim 1 wherein one or more of the non-helical ring sections are in the form of an open ring sections.
4. The stent of claim 1 wherein at least one non-helical ring section includes a serpentine band wherein at least some of the struts are of different length than others of the struts.
5. The stent of claim 1 , the at least two side-by-side generally helical paths comprising a first generally helical path and a second generally helical path, at least a portion of the first generally helical path nesting within at least a portion of the second generally helical path.