Methods for deployment of an implant

A delivery system configured to deliver and deploy an expandable implant within a patient's urethra, comprising:

• a shaft, defining a lumen configured to house and retain the implant;
• and
• a retainer disposed within the shaft and configured to releasably retain the urethral implant during delivery;
• with the implant housed within the shaft and retained by the retainer, a distal end of the shaft configured to be advanced distally and withdrawn proximally relative to the urethra with the implant housed within the shaft and retained by the retainer, the shaft being configured to be retracted proximally relative to the implant to a partially-retracted position in which the implant is at least partially-uncovered from the shaft while still being retained by the retainer, with the implant at least partially-uncovered from the shaft while still being retained by the retainer, the shaft being configured to be further retracted relative to the implant to an extent sufficient to release and fully expose the implant from the shaft.

Apparatus for delivering an implant into a prostatic urethra, the implant being self-expandable from a delivery configuration towards an at-rest configuration, comprising:

• a first tubular member having a distal end and a proximal end and defining a first lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the first tubular member;
• an imaging device having a distal facing field of view;
• a second tubular member having a distal end and a proximal end and defining a second lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the second tubular member, the implant configured to be radially constrainable between the first tubular member and the second tubular member, and a proximal portion of the implant being selectively inhibited from axial movement relative to the first tubular member when in the delivery configuration, the first tubular member being axially positionable relative to the implant between (1) a first axial relative position in which substantially an entire axial extent of the implant is radially constrained within the first lumen, (2) a second axial relative position in which a minority of the axial extent of the implant is radially constrained within the first tubular member, and (3) a third relative axial position in which the entire axial extent of the implant is disposed beyond the distal end of the first tubular element to allow the implant to be released from the distal end of the first tubular member and transition towards the at-rest configuration.

Apparatus for delivering an implant into a prostatic urethra, the implant being self-expandable from a delivery configuration towards an at-rest configuration, comprising:

• a first tubular member having a distal end and a proximal end and defining a first lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the first tubular member;
• a second tubular member having a distal end and a proximal end and defining a second lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the second tubular member;
• an imaging device having a distal end whose distance relative to the distal end of the second tubular member is changeable during deployment of the implant,
• the implant configured to be radially constrainable between the first tubular member and the second tubular member, the first tubular member being axially positionable relative to the implant between (1) a first axial relative position in which substantially an entire axial extent of the implant is radially constrained within the first lumen, (2) a second axial relative position in which the entire axial extent of the implant is disposed beyond the distal end of the first tubular member to allow the implant to be released beyond the distal end of the first tubular member and transition towards the at-rest configuration.