An apparatus for delivering and releasing a self-expanding braided stent to a treatment site in a patient's vasculature, said apparatus comprising: a tubular self-expanding braided stent having a proximal end, a distal end, and an inner lumen, said tubular self-expanding braided stent body being formed from a plurality of elongate members, and at least one expansion ring disposed within and fixedly connected to at least one of said proximal end and said distal end of said tubular self-expanding braided stent body, said at least one expansion ring having a first end, a second end, and an inner lumen, said at least one expansion ring having a compressed configuration having a first diameter and an expanded configuration having a second diameter larger than said first diameter wherein said at least one expansion ring comprises a distal expansion ring disposed within and fixedly connected to said distal end of said tubular self-expanding braided stent body; and a core advancement wire disposed within and extending through said lumen of said tubular self-expanding braided stent body and said lumen of said expansion ring disposed within and fixedly connected to said distal end of said tubular self-expanding braided stent body, said core advancement wire having a proximal portion, a distal portion, an intermediate portion located between said proximal and distal portions of said core advancement wire, and a stop member positioned between said distal portion and said intermediate portion of said core advancement wire, characterized in that said stop member is configured to engage a proximal, interior side of said distal expansion ring when said core advancement wire is advanced distally, whereby the apparatus is adapted to transmit force applied distally to said core advancement wire through said distal expansion ring to said distal end of said tubular self-expanding braided stent, acting to drag and elongate said tubular self-expanding braided stent. a tubular self-expanding braided stent having a proximal end, a distal end, and an inner lumen, said tubular self-expanding braided stent body being formed from a plurality of elongate members, and at least one expansion ring disposed within and fixedly connected to at least one of said proximal end and said distal end of said tubular self-expanding braided stent body, said at least one expansion ring having a first end, a second end, and an inner lumen, said at least one expansion ring having a compressed configuration having a first diameter and an expanded configuration having a second diameter larger than said first diameter wherein said at least one expansion ring comprises a distal expansion ring disposed within and fixedly connected to said distal end of said tubular self-expanding braided stent body; and a core advancement wire disposed within and extending through said lumen of said tubular self-expanding braided stent body and said lumen of said expansion ring disposed within and fixedly connected to said distal end of said tubular self-expanding braided stent body, said core advancement wire having a proximal portion, a distal portion, an intermediate portion located between said proximal and distal portions of said core advancement wire, and a stop member positioned between said distal portion and said intermediate portion of said core advancement wire, characterized in that said stop member is configured to engage a proximal, interior side of said distal expansion ring when said core advancement wire is advanced distally, whereby the apparatus is adapted to transmit force applied distally to said core advancement wire through said distal expansion ring to said distal end of said tubular self-expanding braided stent, acting to drag and elongate said tubular self-expanding braided stent.