Patent ID: 8337541

Claim:
A medical treatment system, comprising: a first elongate support member having a first engagement member; a second elongate support member having a second engagement member, the second elongate support member being selectively movable relative to the first elongate support member along a longitudinal axis; a distal mount; a proximal mount slidingly coupled relative to the distal mount along the longitudinal axis; a first spring interposed between the proximal and distal mounts so as to bias the proximal and distal mounts longitudinally away from one another; a self-expanding medical implant that foreshortens upon radially expanding from a radially compacted state; a distal interface configured to attach the distal mount to the implant; a proximal interface configured to attach the proximal mount to the implant; wherein moving the distal mount away from the proximal mount applies a longitudinal tension to the implant causing the implant to expand longitudinally and contract radially and wherein moving the distal mount toward the proximal mount reduces a longitudinal tension in the implant allowing the implant to expand radially toward a fully expanded state; wherein the first and second engagement members are configured so that as the first and second engagement are moved toward one another, the proximal and distal mounts are urged toward each other and the biasing of the center spring is overcome so that the implant contracts longitudinally and expands radially; and wherein a second spring is interposed between the second engagement member and one of the proximal and distal mounts, and a third spring is interposed between the first engagement member and the other of the proximal and distal mounts, and the second and third springs each have a spring constant greater than a spring constant of the first spring.