A system and a method for delivery of a selfexpanding medical device

摘要

A self-expanding device is to be inserted into a body vessel. In a contracted state, the self-expanding device has a smaller diameter than a diameter of the body vessel and it is self-expanding to a diameter at least equal to the diameter of the body vessel when the temperature of the device exceeds a transformation temperature, which is lower than the body temperature. An apparatus for the delivery of the self-expanding device into the body vessel comprises an elongate delivery means. This is flexible for introduction into the body vessel and it has a distal part for carrying said device in its contracted state. The apparatus further comprises a cooling means having a cooling surface at said distal part and being arranged to transfer heat from said device via the cooling surface towards a proximal part of the delivery means for maintaining the self-expandable device in said contracted state at a temperature below the transformation temperature of the device.