Stent delivery system

A method for delivering a stent, comprising:

• inserting a distal portion of a stent delivery system into a body lumen of a patient, the stent delivery system comprising:
• an inner elongate shaft comprising a lumen extending at least partially therethrough;
• an outer elongate shaft comprising a lumen extending at least partially therethrough, the inner elongate shaft coaxially extending at least partially within the lumen of the outer elongate shaft, the inner and outer elongate shafts movably positionable relative to each other;
• an elongate pull member movably disposed within the lumen of the inner elongate shaft;
• a first restraining member removably secured to the pull member at a location near a distal end portion of the inner elongate shaft, the first restraining member being engaged by the distal end portion of the inner elongate shaft to prevent axial movement of the first restraining member relative to the inner elongate shaft;
• a second restraining member removably secured to the pull member at a location proximal to a proximal end of the lumen of the inner elongate shaft such that the second restraining member is not engaged by the inner elongate shaft, the second restraining member extending through an opening in the outer elongate shaft, the second restraining member being engaged by a perimeter of the opening of the outer elongate shaft to prevent axial movement of the second restraining member relative to the outer elongate shaft;
• and
• a self-expanding stent having an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration, wherein the first restraining member is fixedly secured to a first portion of the self-expanding stent and the second restraining member is fixedly secured to a second portion of the self-expanding stent, thereby securing the self-expanding stent about the outer elongate shaft;
• maintaining the self-expanding stent in a collapsed configuration with the inner and outer elongate shafts in a first position and tension applied to the first and second restraining members for delivery of the self-expanding stent to an implant site, wherein the first and second restraining members are axially spaced apart from each other a first distance when the inner and outer elongate shafts are in the first position;
• positioning the self-expanding stent at the implant site;
• and
• expanding the self-expanding stent to the expanded configuration by moving the inner and outer elongate shafts relative to each other to a second position and releasing tension on the first and second restraining members so that the self-expanding stent moves to the expanded configuration, wherein first and second restraining members are axially spaced apart from each other a second distance when the inner and outer elongate shafts are in the second position, the second distance being smaller than the first distance.