Patent ID: 8152818

Claim:
An implantable medical endoprosthesis delivery system, comprising: a catheter; a sheath at least partially surrounding the catheter, the catheter and the sheath being configured so that an implantable medical endoprosthesis can be disposed therebetween; a plurality of slots of material attached to the sheath; and a tip coupled to a distal end portion of the catheter, the tip having a head portion and a proximal portion, the head portion having a shaped surface including a plurality of proximally-extending projections that are in partial contact with a distal end surface of the sheath so that a plurality of longitudinal gaps are formed between the tip and the sheath such that there is fluid communication between an interior region of the sheath and an exterior region of the sheath through the longitudinal gaps; and wherein at least a section of the proximal portion is configured to be positioned within the slots of material.