Apparatus and method for loading and delivering a stent using a suture retaining mechanism

1. An assembly for delivering an intraluminary member into a body lumen comprising:

a delivery catheter including:

an elongated tubular member,

a first inner member disposed within and slidingly engaged with the tubular member, the first inner member defining a lumen,

a second inner member, a first portion of the second inner member disposed within and secured to the lumen of the first inner member, a second portion of the second inner member extending from a distal end of the first inner member,

an intraluminary holder engaged to a portion of the second inner member,

a handle fixed to a proximal end of the first inner member, and

at least one securing mechanism located on the handle;

a stent transfer member including an inner cylindrical portion disposed at a distal end of said elongated tubular member, said stent transfer member comprising a transition step to serve as a mating seat for said elongated tubular member;

a radially expandable intraluminary member having a first end and a second end and defining an intraluminary member lumen therebetween, wherein the second inner member is disposed within the intraluminary member lumen;

a retrieval suture located at the first end of the intraluminary member; and

a thread-like member removeably secured to one end of the intraluminary member, the thread-like member removeably secured to one end of the intraluminary member, the thread-like member extending between the intraluminary member and the handle, the at least one securing mechanism adapted to secure the thread like member;

wherein said thread-like member is removeably secured to one end of the intraluminary member such that two ends of said thread-like member extend from said intraluminary member to said handle; and

wherein pulling said thread-like member towards said proximal end results in reducing a diameter of said intraluminary member through compression of said intraluminary member by the stent transfer member and securing the intraluminary member to the intraluminary holder.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one securing mechanism includes at least one screw member engageable with the handle for removeably securing the thread-like member thereto.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the securing mechanism includes a cap removeably secured to a radial protrusion on the handle.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the proximal end of the handle includes a longitudinal protrusion adapted to removeably secure the cap.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first inner member includes a first inner member passage extending the length of the inner rod, the first inner member passage communicating with a first handle passage extending the length of the handle.

6. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the handle includes a second handle passage traversing at least a portion of the handle, and wherein the thread-like member extend through at least a portion of the second handle passage.

7. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the thread-like member extends through at least a portion of the first inner member passage.

8. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the thread-like member extends through at least a portion of the inner handle passage.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the intraluminary member is a stent.

10. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a second retrieval suture located at the second end of the intraluminary member.