Mechanism for the deployment of endovascular implants

A deployment mechanism for intravascularly deploying a filamentous endovascular device having a proximal end into a target vascular site in a patient's vasculature, the deployment mechanism comprising:

• an elongate, flexible, hollow deployment tube having an open proximal end, a distal section terminating in an open distal end, and a lumen defined between the proximal and distal ends;
• a retention sleeve fixed around the distal section of the deployment tube and having a distal extension extending a short distance past the distal end of the deployment tube;
• a coupling element attached to the proximal end of the endovascular device and releasably held within the distal extension of the retention sleeve proximate the distal end of the deployment tube so as to be displaceable from the retention sleeve in response to fluid pressure applied to the coupling element from the fluid passage lumen and the distal end;
• and
• anti-air flow means, operatively associated with the deployment tube, for substantially preventing the passage of air from the lumen into the patient's vasculature.

A deployment mechanism for deploying a filamentous endovascular device having a proximal end, comprising:

• an elongate, flexible, hollow deployment tube comprising an open proximal end, a distal section terminating in an open distal end, a proximal main section, an intermediate transition section between the main section and the distal section, and a lumen defined between the proximal and distal ends;
• a retention sleeve fixed around the distal section of the deployment tube and having a distal extension extending a short distance past the distal end of the deployment tube;
• and
• a coupling element attached to the proximal end of the endovascular device and releasably held within the distal extension of the retention sleeve proximate the distal end of the deployment tube so as to be displaceable from the retention sleeve in response to fluid pressure applied to the coupling element through the lumen and the distal end of the deployment tube;
• wherein the distal section of the deployment tube is shorter and more flexible than the transition section, and wherein the transition section is shorter and more flexible than the main section.

A deployment mechanism for deploying a filamentous endovascular device having a proximal end, comprising:

• an elongate, flexible, hollow deployment tube having an open proximal end, a distal section terminating in an open distal end, and a lumen defined between the proximal and distal ends;
• a retention sleeve made of a polyolefin material fixed around the distal section of the deployment tube and, having a distal extension extending a short distance past the distal end of the deployment tube;
• and
• a coupling element made of a polyolefin material attached to the proximal end of the endovascular device and releasably held within the distal extension of the retention sleeve proximate the distal end of the deployment tube so as to be displaceable from the retention sleeve in response to fluid pressure applied to the coupling element through the lumen and the distal end of the deployment tube.

A deployment mechanism for deploying a filamentous endovascular device having a proximal end, comprising:

• an elongate, flexible, hollow deployment tube having an open proximal end, a distal section terminating in an open distal end, and a lumen defined between the proximal and distal ends;
• a retention sleeve made of a fluorocarbon material fixed around the distal section of the deployment tube and having a distal extension extending a short distance past the distal end of the deployment tube;
• and
• a metal coupling element attached to the proximal end of the endovascular device and releasably held within the distal extension of the retention sleeve proximate the distal end of the deployment tube so as to be displaceable from the retention sleeve in response.to fluid pressure applied to the coupling element through the lumen and the distal end of the deployment tube.

A deployment mechanism for deploying a filamentous endovascular device having a proximal end, comprising:

• an elongate, flexible, hollow deployment tube having an open proximal end, a distal section terminating in an open distal end, and a lumen defined between the proximal and distal ends;
• a retention sleeve fixed around the distal section of the deployment tube and having a distal extension extending a short distance past the distal end of the deployment tube;
• and
• a coupling element attached to the proximal end of the endovascular device and releasably held within the distal extension of the retention sleeve proximate the distal end of the deployment tube so as to be displaceable from the retention sleeve in response to fluid pressure applied to the coupling element through the lumen and the distal end of the deployment tube;
• wherein the coupling element includes an axial purge passage therethrough, the purge passage having a diameter that permits the flow of saline solution therethrough, but does not permit the free flow therethrough of a fluid having a viscosity greater than or approximately equal to 3 cP.