Stent holding structure for introducers

摘要

An implantable medical device includes a carrier element having a distal holding member 60 which includes a proximal connecting element which is attached to a guidewire catheter and a distal connecting element 68 which is attached to a dilator tip. A proximal connecting element includes a plurality of ribs 74 which have a perpendicular shoulder 80 spaced from an enlarged head 82. The shoulder 80 supports an endmost stent 92 of a device held by the distal holding member 60. Guide wires 98 pass through lumens in the ribs 74 and enlarged head 82, these guidewires 98 being substantially straight. The ribs 74 support an implantable medical device both in the longitudinal direction and in the radial direction. The device 90 can also be pulled rather than pushed by means of the introducer assembly.