Patent ID: 7331980

Claim:
A method for placing an expandable element within an aneurysm, the method comprising: selecting a medical device comprising a support member including an outer shell and an inner wire extending through the outer shell, and an annular expandable element, the annular expandable element disposed about the inner wire and releasably attached to a distal end of the support member, the expandable element having proximal and distal ends; positioning the expandable element within an aneurysm; engaging the proximal and distal ends of the expandable element; forcing the proximal and distal ends of the expandable, element towards one another thereby axially compressing and radially expanding the expandable element from a radially compressed state to a radially expanded state with the expandable element disposed around the inner wire; releasing the radially expanded expandable element from the support member; and removing the support member from the body with the expandable element in the expanded state within the aneurysm.