A stent (10) comprising: a plurality of expandable rings (20) formed of a plurality of struts； and a plurality of flexible bridging elements (30)interconnecting the plurality of expandable rings, which allow the stent to flex axially, the plurality of flexible bridging elements including at least one flex member (32), wherein the at least one flex member is contoured by varying a width of the flex member continuously along its length over an arc of at least 180°.
