Patent ID: 7208002

Claim:
A delivery system for a self-expanding stent, the delivery system comprising: a catheter having a distal end, the catheter being configured to retain a self-expanding stent proximate the distal end, the catheter including a tubular member including a first marker band at a position corresponding to a distal most leading end of the self-expanding stent to indicate a position of the distal most leading end, a second marker band at a position corresponding to a trailing end of the self-expanding stent to indicate a position of the trailing end, and a third marker band between the first and second marker bands and between the leading and trailing ends of the stent, and an outer member positioned about the tubular member, the outer member being slidable relative to the tubular member in an axial direction; a holding sleeve positioned about the tubular member and configured to retain the positioning of the stent, wherein the holding sleeve is positioned within an interior of the stent; and an inflatable device positioned about the tubular member, wherein there is no more than one inflatable device, wherein said inflatable device is disposed solely between the holding sleeve and the distal end of the catheter, and wherein at least a portion of the self-expanding stent overlaps a portion of the inflatable device prior to deployment of the self-expanding stent.