Patent ID: 6837901

Claim:
The method of delivering a shape memory stent having a transition temperature at or below body temperature to, and deploying the stent at a diseased tubular area in the body utilizing a catheter assembly having a proximal end region and a distal end region, comprising the steps of: mounting the shape memory stent in a collapsed condition on a thermal transfer device coupled to said catheter assembly at said distal end region thereof, said thermal transfer device including a chamber having an outer transfer thermal wall, such that the heat transfer wall is in local heat transfer relationship with the stent; delivering the stent in said collapsed condition on said thermal transfer device to a region of the diseased tubular area in the body; circulating a flow of cooling thermal fluid from said proximal end region of said catheter assembly into said chamber and back to said proximal end region of said catheter assembly, commencing at least as early as the time the stent in its collapsed condition on the thermal transfer device has been delivered to a region of the diseased tubular area; if necessary, adjusting the position of the stent in said collapsed condition on said thermal transfer device in said narrowing tubular area; and controlling the expansion of said stent into supporting engagement with the wall of the diseased tubular area by adjusting the temperature and/or rate of the circulation of cooling thermal fluid into said chamber; releaseably capturing said stent to said catheter assembly at the time of said mounting step; maintaining said capture of said stent to said catheter assembly during said delivery step; maintaining said capture of said stent to said catheter assembly during at least a part of said deploying step; and releasing said stent from capture to said catheter assembly after completion of at least a part of said deploying step; wherein said catheter assembly comprises a stent-capturing sheath having a distal end; at least one hook member affixed to said distal end of said stent-capturing sheath; and an outer sheath having a distal end movably positioned over said stent-capturing sheath; and wherein said releasing step comprises moving said outer sheath with respect to said stent-capturing sheath whereupon said distal end of said outer sheath cooperates with said at least one hook member to move the same to release said stent.