Expandable medical device with ductile hinges

摘要: An expandable tissue supporting device of the present invention employs ductile hinges at selected points in device. When expansion forces are applied to as a whole, concentrate stresses and strains small well defined areas. The includes plurality elongated beams arranged cylindrical connected together by hinges. Although many hinge configurations possible, preferably have substantially constant cross sectional area which is smaller than beam such that expanded from first diameter second diameter, experience plastic deformation while not plastically deformed. can be provided with segments may specified sequence and/or framed hole features for accommodating bifurcations.