A delivery system for delivering an expandable implant to a body location, the delivery system comprising: an elongate shaft assembly comprising a proximal end and a distal end , wherein the elongate shaft assembly comprises an implant retention area configured to retain the expandable implant in a compressed configuration, wherein the elongate shaft assembly comprises: an elongate tubular shaft comprising a proximal end (904; 1004) and a distal end (906; 1006) and a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal end (904; 1004) and the distal end (906; 1006), wherein the elongate tubular shaft comprises a plurality of slots (902; 1002) spaced apart longitudinally along a length of the elongate tubular shaft , each of the plurality of slots (902; 1002) being oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and comprising a proximal side, a distal side, and two circumferentially spaced apart opposite ends; wherein each slot (902; 1002) forms a gap between the proximal and distal sides of the slot (902; 1002) that is configured to close upon application of force to the elongate tubular shaft ; wherein the opposite ends of the slots (902; 1002) are separated from each other by a spine portion (931; 1031) extending longitudinally along the length of the elongate tubular shaft ; wherein the position and/or shape of the slots (902; 1002) varies along the length of the elongate tubular shaft to provide different bending characteristics to different portions of the elongate tubular shaft ; wherein the plurality of slots have varying widths over the length of the elongate tubular shaft , the widths of the slots being defined between the two circumferentially spaced apart opposite ends; and; characterized in that the plurality of slots comprises a first slot section having a plurality of slots with a first width, a second slot section having a plurality of slots with a second width, and a third slot section having a plurality of slots with a third width, wherein the third width is greater than the second width and the second width is greater than the first width. an elongate tubular shaft comprising a proximal end (904; 1004) and a distal end (906; 1006) and a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal end (904; 1004) and the distal end (906; 1006), wherein the elongate tubular shaft comprises a plurality of slots (902; 1002) spaced apart longitudinally along a length of the elongate tubular shaft , each of the plurality of slots (902; 1002) being oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and comprising a proximal side, a distal side, and two circumferentially spaced apart opposite ends; wherein each slot (902; 1002) forms a gap between the proximal and distal sides of the slot (902; 1002) that is configured to close upon application of force to the elongate tubular shaft ; wherein the opposite ends of the slots (902; 1002) are separated from each other by a spine portion (931; 1031) extending longitudinally along the length of the elongate tubular shaft ; wherein the position and/or shape of the slots (902; 1002) varies along the length of the elongate tubular shaft to provide different bending characteristics to different portions of the elongate tubular shaft ; wherein the plurality of slots have varying widths over the length of the elongate tubular shaft , the widths of the slots being defined between the two circumferentially spaced apart opposite ends; and; characterized in that the plurality of slots comprises a first slot section having a plurality of slots with a first width, a second slot section having a plurality of slots with a second width, and a third slot section having a plurality of slots with a third width, wherein the third width is greater than the second width and the second width is greater than the first width. <EOS>