Importance

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Abstract

A radially expandable support structure is provided, for keeping open lumina within a body, in particular a blood vessel, having a tube-shaped body that has at least two partial structures, with a wall surface that extends between a first and a second end, which has several cut out areas, in particular, slits, which are essentially oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube-shaped structure. At least one partial structure (11) extends without interruption in the axial direction generally from the first end to the second end of the tube-shaped body. The first partial structure (1, 2) can be expanded at least in the radial direction and has at least one radial-expansion component. Individual radial expansion components (12, 13) are arranged as rings or in a ring shape, and the second partial structure (11) is almost rigid in the axial direction. The two partial structures (1, 2; 11) are arranged in such a way that during the radial expansion of the tube-shaped body, the second partial body (11) receives the longitudinal axial forces that arise.

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First Claim