WIRE-TUBULAR HYBRID STENT

Radially-expandable stents are provided with improved longitudinal flexibility and stability, improved torsional flexibility and stability, improved trackability and conformability, and improved hoop strength. The stents combine the advantages typically associated with wire stents with those typically associated longitudinal stability. The stents include a plurality of cylindrical sections successively arranged along a longitudinal axis of the stent, a plurality of W-shaped elements in each of the cylindrical sections, each of the W-shaped elements having a center section and two outside legs, the plurality of W-shaped elements in each of the cylindrical sections opening in alternating directions along the longitudinal axis of the stent, wherein the W-shaped elements in adjacent cylindrical sections alternate between pairs of W-shaped elements that open towards each other along the longitudinal axis and pairs of W-shaped elements that open away from each other along the longitudinal axis when moving about the circumference of the adjacent cylindrical sections; and a plurality of tie members connecting adjacent cylindrical sections along the longitudinal axis of the stent, the tie members connecting center sections of the pairs of W-shaped elements that open towards each other along the longitudinal axis in each pair of adjacent cylindrical sections. Methods of implanting the stents in body lumens are also disclosed.