Mechanically expandable delivery and dilation systems

A method of implanting a stent in a patient's lumen, the method comprising:

• inserting a distal portion of a stent delivery system into the lumen of a patient, the stent delivery system comprising:
• an elongate shaft including a proximal portion, a distal portion, a lumen extending at least partially therethrough, and a stent receiving portion on the distal portion of the shaft;
• a stent positioned at the stent receiving portion of the elongate shaft, the stent having a constrained configuration and an expanded configuration;
• a proximal constraining member releasably connected to the stent and having a first position and a second position;
• a distal constraining member, the distal constraining member comprising a distal retaining wire, a first distal loop and a second distal loop, the first distal loop extending through a plurality of peaks of the stent, the distal retaining wire releasably extending through the first and second distal loops, the distal constraining member releasably connected to the stent and having a first position and a second position;
• holding the stent in the constrained configuration with longitudinal tensile force applied to the stent by the proximal and distal constraining members each in the first position and cooperatively tensioning the stent for delivery of the stent to the implant site;
• positioning the stent at the implant site;
• expanding the stent to the expanded configuration by moving the proximal and distal constraining members each to the second position and releasing longitudinal force on the stent, the stent in the expanded configuration is fully expandable and free from constraint by an outer sheath, the proximal and distal constraining members releasably locking the stent to the elongate shaft and allowing the stent to move between the constrained configuration and the expanded configuration without release from the elongate shaft.

A system comprising:

• an inner elongate shaft including a proximal portion, a distal portion and a lumen extending at least partially therethrough;
• an outer elongate shaft including a proximal portion, a distal portion and 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 expandable member having a first end portion and a second end portion and having a constrained configuration and an expanded configuration, the first end portion operably connected to one of the inner and the outer elongate shaft and the second end portion operably connected to the other of the inner and the outer elongate shaft;
• and
• a proximal constraining member releasably connected to a proximal portion of the expandable member;
• and
• a distal constraining member releasably connected to a position on the expandable member distal to the proximal constraining member, the distal constraining member comprising a distal retaining wire, a first distal loop and a second distal loop, the first distal loop extending through a plurality of peaks of the expandable member, the distal retaining wire releasably extending through the first and second distal loops;
• wherein movement of the inner and outer elongate shafts relative to each other in a first direction applies opposing longitudinal force to at least a portion of the expandable member and wherein movement of the inner and outer elongate shafts relative to each other in a second direction releases the longitudinal force on the at least a portion of the expandable member, the proximal and distal constraining members releasably locking the expandable member to one of the inner and the outer elongate shaft and allowing the expandable member to move between the constrained configuration and the expanded configuration, the expandable member in the expanded configuration is fully expandable and free from constraint by an outer sheath without release from one of the inner and the outer elongate shaft.