Patent ID: 8414633

Claim:
A delivery system for an endoluminal stent, comprising: a catheter comprising a balloon mounted on a distal end thereof, said catheter having a longitudinal lumen extending therethrough in fluid communication with an interior region of said balloon, said balloon thereby being expandable from a collapsed state to an expanded state; a balloon-expandable stent mounted on said balloon, said stent comprising a proximal end, a distal end and a length extending therebetween, an inner surface of said stent being disposed about an exterior region of said balloon, said stent initially being collapsed onto said balloon in said collapsed state, said stent being expandable in response to expansion of said balloon to said expanded state; and a single retention wire extending over a proximal end of said stent and along only an external surface thereof for an entirety of said length of said stent, said retention wire further extending over said distal end of said stent such that said retention wire is free of attachment to said stent, wherein said retention wire is coupled to said catheter adjacent said distal end of said stent, and said retention wire is further coupled to said catheter adjacent said proximal end of said stent, said retention wire extending along a generally straight direction between said proximal and distal ends thereby restraining said stent from moving longitudinally relative said balloon.