Tabbed stent with minimum compressed profile
A structure and method associated with a tabbed stent that facilitates folding of its unconnected crowns over the adjacent connected crowns, to thus minimize the stent's compressed diameter. The middles of tabs and connected crowns are moved radially inwards with respect to unconnected neighbor crowns such that when in a compressed configuration the unconnected neighbor crowns overlap the connected crowns. The tabs of tabbed stent facilitate folding of the unconnected neighbor crowns over the connected crowns connected to the tabs. In this manner, the compressed profile of the tabbed stent and the crossing profile of the catheter containing the tabbed stent is minimized.
1. A method of loading a stent into a sheath, wherein prior to said loading, said stent comprises:
a first segment comprising:
a plurality of connected crowns along an edge of said first segment comprising a first connected crown along an edge of said first segment;
a plurality of unconnected crowns along said edge of said first segment comprising:
a first unconnected neighbor crown directly adjacent but spaced apart from said first connected crown; and
a second unconnected neighbor crown directly adjacent but spaced apart from said first connected crown;
wherein two and only two of said plurality of unconnected crowns along said edge of said first segment are between each connected crown along said edge of said first segment, said connected crowns being connected to tabs;
a first tab of said tabs comprising:
a first tab end; and
a second tab end, wherein said first connected crown is connected to approximately a middle of said first tab between said first tab end and said second tab end, said method comprising:
moving said first and second unconnected neighbor crowns closer to said first connected crown; and
moving said middle of said first tab and said first connected crown radially inwards with respect to said first and second unconnected neighbor crowns by applying an inward force to only said first tab end and said second tab end, wherein said first and second unconnected neighbor crowns overlap said first connected crown, wherein said first connected crown is spaced apart from said sheath.
2. A method of loading a stent into a sheath, wherein prior to said loading, said stent comprises:
a first segment comprising:
a plurality of connected crowns along an edge of said first segment comprising a first connected crown;
a plurality of unconnected crowns along said edge of said first segment comprising:
a first unconnected neighbor crown directly adjacent but spaced apart from said first connected crown; and
a second unconnected neighbor crown directly adjacent but spaced apart from said first connected crown;
wherein two and only two of said plurality of unconnected crowns along said edge of said first segment are between each connected crown along said edge of said first segment, said connected crowns being connected to tabs;
a first tab of said tabs comprising:
a first tab end; and
a second tab end, wherein said first connected crown is connected to approximately a middle of said first tab between said first tab end and said second tab end, said method comprising:
moving unconnected crowns of stent segments circumferentially closer to connected crowns connected to tabs of said stent comprising moving said first and second unconnected neighbor crowns closer to said first connected crown; and
moving middles of said tabs and said connected crowns radially inwards with respect to said unconnected crowns by applying an inward force to only first tab ends and second tab ends of said tabs, wherein said unconnected crowns overlap said connected crowns including said first and second unconnected neighbor crowns overlapping said first connected crown.
3. A method of loading a stent into a sheath, wherein prior to said loading, said stent comprises:
a first segment comprising:
a plurality of connected crowns along an edge of said first segment comprising a first connected crown along an edge of said first segment;
a plurality of unconnected crowns along said edge of said first segment comprising:
a first unconnected neighbor crown directly adjacent but spaced apart from said first connected crown; and
a second unconnected neighbor crown directly adjacent but spaced apart from said first connected crown;
wherein two and only two of said plurality of unconnected crowns along said edge of said first segment are between each connected crown along said edge of said first segment, said connected crowns being connected to tabs;
a first tab of said tabs comprising:
a first tab end; and
a second tab end, wherein said first connected crown is connected to approximately a middle of said first tab between said first tab end and said second tab end, said method comprising:
moving said first and second unconnected neighbor crowns closer to said first connected crown; and
moving said middle of said first tab and said first connected crown radially inwards with respect to said first and second unconnected neighbor crowns by applying an inward force to only said first tab end and said second tab end, wherein said first and second unconnected neighbor crowns overlap said first connected crown, wherein said tabs have a first radius of curvature before and after said loading.
4. A method of loading a stent into a sheath, wherein prior to said loading, said stent comprises:
a first segment comprising:
a plurality of connected crowns along an edge of said first segment comprising a first connected crown along an edge of said first segment;
a plurality of unconnected crowns along said edge of said first segment comprising:
a first unconnected neighbor crown directly adjacent but spaced apart from said first connected crown; and
a second unconnected neighbor crown directly adjacent but spaced apart from said first connected crown;
wherein two and only two of said plurality of unconnected crowns along said edge of said first segment are between each connected crown along said edge of said first segment, said connected crowns being connected to tabs;
a first tab of said tabs comprising:
a first tab end; and
a second tab end, wherein said first connected crown is connected to approximately a middle of said first tab between said first tab end and said second tab end, said method comprising:
moving said first and second unconnected neighbor crowns closer to said first connected crown; and
moving said middle of said first tab and said first connected crown radially inwards with respect to said first and second unconnected neighbor crowns by applying an inward force to only said first tab end and said second tab end, wherein said first and second unconnected neighbor crowns overlap said first connected crown, wherein said first tab contacts said sheath only at said first tab end and said second tab end of said first tab.
5. A method of loading a stent into a sheath, wherein prior to said loading, said stent comprises:
a first segment comprising:
a plurality of connected crowns along an edge of said first segment comprising a first connected crown along an edge of said first segment;
a plurality of unconnected crowns along said edge of said first segment comprising:
a first unconnected neighbor crown directly adjacent but spaced apart from said first connected crown; and
a second unconnected neighbor crown directly adjacent but spaced apart from said first connected crown;
wherein two and only two of said plurality of unconnected crowns along said edge of said first segment are between each connected crown along said edge of said first segment, said connected crowns being connected to tabs;
a first tab of said tabs comprising:
a first tab end; and
a second tab end, wherein said first connected crown is connected to approximately a middle of said first tab between said first tab end and said second tab end, said method comprising:
moving said first and second unconnected neighbor crowns closer to said first connected crown; and
moving said middle of said first tab and said first connected crown radially inwards with respect to said first and second unconnected neighbor crowns by applying an inward force to only said first tab end and said second tab end, wherein said first and second unconnected neighbor crowns overlap said first connected crown, wherein said middle of said first tab is spaced apart from said sheath.
6. A method of loading a stent into a sheath, wherein prior to said loading, said stent comprises:
a first segment comprising:
a plurality of connected crowns along an edge of said first segment comprising a first connected crown along an edge of said first segment;
a plurality of unconnected crowns along said edge of said first segment comprising:
a first unconnected neighbor crown directly adjacent but spaced apart from said first connected crown; and
a second unconnected neighbor crown directly adjacent but spaced apart from said first connected crown;
wherein two and only two of said plurality of unconnected crowns along said edge of said first segment are between each connected crown along said edge of said first segment, said connected crowns being connected to tabs;
a first tab of said tabs comprising:
a first tab end; and
a second tab end, wherein said first connected crown is connected to approximately a middle of said first tab between said first tab end and said second tab end, said method comprising:
moving said first and second unconnected neighbor crowns closer to said first connected crown; and
moving said middle of said first tab and said first connected crown radially inwards with respect to said first and second unconnected neighbor crowns by applying an inward force to only said first tab end and said second tab end, wherein said first and second unconnected neighbor crowns overlap said first connected crown, wherein said tabs have a first radius of curvature before said loading, said tabs retaining said first radius of curvature during said loading.
7. A method of loading a stent into a sheath, wherein prior to said loading, said stent comprises:
a first segment comprising:
a plurality of connected crowns along an edge of said first segment comprising a first connected crown along an edge of said first segment;
a plurality of unconnected crowns along said edge of said first segment comprising:
a first unconnected neighbor crown directly adjacent but spaced apart from said first connected crown; and
a second unconnected neighbor crown directly adjacent but spaced apart from said first connected crown;
wherein two and only two of said plurality of unconnected crowns along said edge of said first segment are between each connected crown along said edge of said first segment, said connected crowns being connected to tabs;
a first tab of said tabs comprising:
a first tab end; and
a second tab end, wherein said first connected crown is connected to approximately a middle of said first tab between said first tab end and said second tab end, said method comprising:
moving said first and second unconnected neighbor crowns closer to said first connected crown; and
moving said middle of said first tab and said first connected crown radially inwards with respect to said first and second unconnected neighbor crowns by applying an inward force to only said first tab end and said second tab end, wherein said first and second unconnected neighbor crowns overlap said first connected crown, wherein said first tab retains a curvature radius greater than the sheath during said loading.