Deployment handle for delivery of implants

A delivery device for delivering implants, the device comprising:

• an inner shaft comprising a proximal end and a distal end;
• an outer sheath having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending from the proximal end of the outer sheath to the distal end of the outer sheath, the outer sheath being moveable relative to the inner shaft;
• a deployment handle configured to cause movement of the outer sheath relative to the inner shaft so as to facilitate delivery of multiple implants carried by the inner shaft at spaced-apart locations,
• wherein the deployment handle comprises:
• an elongated main housing comprising a proximal end and a distal end and an upper surface;
• a deployment actuator configured to cause the movement of the outer sheath relative to the inner shaft;
• and
• a re-sheath assembly configured to facilitate re-sheathing of the inner shaft prior to removal of the delivery device from a treatment zone within a subject after deployment of one or more of the multiple delivery implants at the treatment zone,
• wherein the re-sheath assembly comprises a re-sheath housing removably coupled to the proximal end of the main housing of the rotary deployment handle, a re-sheath button located adjacent the proximal end of the main housing distal to the re-sheath housing, and a re-sheath rack located within the main housing of the rotary deployment handle,
• wherein a proximal end of the re-sheath rack is fixedly coupled to the re-sheath housing and wherein the inner shaft is operably coupled to the re-sheath housing such that retraction of the re-sheath housing in a proximal direction away from the main housing causes the re-sheath rack and the inner shaft to move in a proximal direction, thereby re-sheathing the inner shaft within the outer sheath.

A method of delivering implants at multiple different treatment sites within a subject, the method comprising:

• advancing a delivery catheter to a first treatment site within the subject,
• wherein the delivery catheter comprises an inner shaft and an outer sheath concentrically surrounding the inner shaft, wherein the inner shaft and the outer sheath are configured to move relative to each other, and wherein the inner shaft is loaded with a plurality of implants at spaced-apart locations along the length of the inner shaft;
• deploying a first one or more implants at the first treatment site within the subject by un-sheathing the first one or more implants by moving the outer sheath proximally while the inner shaft remains stationary,
• re-sheathing the portion of the inner shaft corresponding to the locations of the deployed first one or more implants by moving the inner shaft proximally while the outer sheath remains stationary, thereby facilitating improved safety to the subject while the delivery catheter is moved to a second treatment site within the subject,
• wherein said re-sheathing is effected by the operator pulling a re-sheath housing of the rotary deployment handle in a proximal direction;
• advancing the delivery catheter to the second treatment site within the subject;
• un-sheathing the portion of the inner shaft corresponding to the locations of the deployed first one or more implants by moving the inner shaft distally while the outer sheath remains stationary such that a distal end of the outer sheath is at the same distance away from the distal end of the inner shaft as it was after deployment of the first one or more implants,
• wherein said un-sheathing is effected by the operator pushing the re-sheath housing of the rotary deployment handle in a distal direction;
• and
• deploying a second one or more implants at the second treatment site within the subject by un-sheathing the second one or more implants by moving the outer sheath proximally while the inner shaft remains stationary.