PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a medical device having two or more stable configuration relating to a stent.SOLUTION: The medical device having the two or more stable configurations has two or more cells 64 which are interconnected, each of the cells has a predetermined cell structure, and these cells include a relatively rigid section and a relatively flexible section interconnected so as to form the cell structure in the form of a multistable spring system having a plurality of stable configrations. The cell structure may be a bistable mechanism having two stable configrations and moreover the cells are formed and composed so that the device can be switched between the two stable configrations by applying equal force directed in a radial direction. The cells are formed as tubular stents 50 and 60 having a plurality of configrations including a fully contracted configuration and a fully expanded configuration and the diameter of the stents in the fully expanded configuration may be larger than the diameter of the stents in the fully contracted configuration.COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT【課題】複数の安定形体を持つ医療装置の提供。【解決手段】複数の安定形体を持つ医療装置において、相互連結された複数のセル64を有し、各セルは所定のセル構造を有し、これらのセルは、複数の安定形体を持つ多安定ばねシステムの形態のセル構造を形成するように相互連結された比較的剛性の区分及び比較的可撓性の区分を含む、医療装置を提供する。セル構造は、二つの安定形体を持つ双安定構造であってもよく、またセルは、半径方向に差し向けられた均等な力を加えることによって前記装置を二つの安定形体間で切り換えることができるように形成されており且つ構成されていてもよい。非拡張形体及び一杯に拡張させた形体を含む二つ又はそれ以上の形体を持つ管状ステント50、60として形成されており、一杯に拡張させた形体の前記ステントの直径は、非拡張形体の前記ステントの直径以上であってもよい。【選択図】図5
