Importance

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Abstract

A bifurcation stent includes a first end which is deformable or crushable at a lower force than a second end. The crushable first end and more rigid second end of the bifurcation stent allow one end of the stent to remain expanded in tissue supporting configuration in a side branch of a vessel bifurcation while the other end is easily crushed against the side wall of the main vessel into which it extends. A method of supporting a bifurcated body lumen with the bifurcation stent involves delivering the bifurcation stent in an unexpanded configuration to a bifurcation in a body lumen, positioning the bifurcation stent with the distal portion substantially within a side branch vessel of the bifurcation and the proximal crushable portion substantially within the main vessel, expanding the bifurcation stent, and expanding a main vessel stent along side the bifurcation stent and thereby crushing at least a portion of the crushable proximal portion of the bifurcation stent against the main vessel wall.

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First Claim