Patent ID: 7122050

Claim:
A stent deployment system for introducing a self-expanding stent into a body vessel, comprising: an inner catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end being attached to a tip, the inner catheter permitting passage of a guidewire therethrough; a reinforcing spring element surrounding the inner catheter for resisting compression and providing flexibility for moving through a body vessel; an abutment element attached to a distal end of the reinforcing spring element for preventing axial movement of the self-expanding stent in a proximal direction, the abutment element having an open end; and an outer catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being attached to a movable member, the distal end surrounding the self-expanding stent, wherein movement of the movable member retracts the outer catheter to release the self-expanding stent.