PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a stent flexible in an axial direction, not contracting in the axial direction at the time of the extension, having large resistance to the contracting force of a blood vessel, capable of uniformly extending a strut and the end parts of which are not curved with a diameter larger than the one of a center part at the time of extension.SOLUTION: This stent is formed in an almost tubular body and is composed of almost wavy constituting elements 2 and 3 expandable in a circumferential direction and the almost wavy constituting elements 4 expandable in the axial direction. A plurality of the almost wavy constituting elements 2 expandable in the circumferential direction are arranged in the almost circumferential direction of the stent without being directly connected to each other, a plurality of the almost wavy constituting elements 3 expandable in the circumferential direction are arranged in the almost circumferential direction of the stent without being directly connected to each other, a plurality of the almost wavy constituting elements 4 expandable in the axial direction are arranged in the almost circumferential direction of the stent without being directly connected to each other and they are alternately and cyclically continued in the stent axial direction.COPYRIGHT: (C)2002,JPO【課題】軸方向に柔軟で、拡張時にステント軸方向長さの収縮がなく、血管が収縮しようとする力に対する抵抗が大きく、ストラットを均一に拡張させることが可能で、更に拡張時にステント両端部が中央部よりも大きな径に反り上がることがないステントを提供する。【解決手段】略管状体に形成されたステントで、前記ステントが円周方向に伸張可能な略波形構成要素2と3と、軸方向に伸張可能な略波形構成要素4とからなり、複数の前記円周方向に伸張可能な略波形構成要素2が互いに直接には連結せずにステントの略円周方向に配置され、複数の前記円周方向に伸張可能な略波形構成要素3が互いに直接には連結せずにステント略円周方向に配置され、複数の前記軸方向に伸張可能な略波形構成要素4が互いに直接には連結せずにステントの略円周方向に配置され、それらが互いにステント軸方向に交互に周期的に連続してなるステント。
