CRIMPABLE INTRALUMINAL ENDOPROSTHESIS HAVING HELICAL ELEMENTS

A stent having helical elements, a geometry for improved crimping, and a good stent-to-vessel ratio is disclosed. In one embodiment, the stent has a plurality of first helical segments (120a, 120b) and a plurality of second opposing helical segments (150a, 150b). The first helical segments (120a,120b) are comprised of a plurality of first eypandable elements (300) and the second helical segments are comprised of a plurality of second helical elements (350). The expandable elements (300, 350) are joined to each other by a plurality of struts (400). When the stent is crimped a portion of one of the first expandable elements (300) nest within a nother portion of the same expandable element and a portion of two first expandable elements (300) nestle between the same two portions of second expandable elements (350).