Patent ID: 7879081

Claim:
A method of deploying an endoluminal device in a body lumen from a proximal point outside of the body lumen, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a delivery system comprising a guidewire having an outer diameter, and a self-expanding endoluminal device comprising a plurality of filamentary members attached together, wherein at least one filamentary member is a tubular filamentary member having a gapless cross section at a proximal end of the guidewire and a hollow core for receiving the guidewire and having a straightened configuration for mounting on the guidewire at the proximal end and a shape memory configuration without the guidewire in the hollow core for deployment in the body lumen, the at least one tubular filamentary member comprising a distal end and a proximal extension having a proximal end; (b) advancing at least the guidewire into the body lumen to a deployment location; (c) using the guidewire to deploy the tubular filamentary member in its shape-memory configuration with the distal end in the deployment location and the proximal end of the proximal extension outside of the body lumen or in a location readily accessible from outside of the body lumen.