Patent ID: 8075606

Claim:
A pusher assembly for a delivery system for a self-expanding stent, the pusher assembly constituting a catheter shaft with a proximal pusher end to receive an end-wise compressive force and a distal pusher end to deliver said force to a stent to be delivered, the pusher assembly comprising: a pusher strand extending from the proximal pusher end to a distal strand end which is nearer the distal pusher end than the proximal pusher end; a pusher element which abuts the stent in use to deliver said force to the stent; and a transfer shaft having a length with a proximal end and a distal end, the transfer shaft tapering distally along at least a portion of the length toward the transfer shaft distal end, the transfer shaft proximal end being connected to the distal strand end and the transfer shaft distal end being connected to the pusher element; and the pusher element defines a guidewire path, and said transfer shaft lies to one side of said path but is not coaxial with said path.