Implant delivery device
A system for delivering an implant within a patient is disclosed. The activation of the heater coil causes the degradation, melting or reduction of a component that brings the heater coil into or out of electrical contact with another component, or causes the individual loops of the coil to contact each other, thereby resulting a notable change in resistance in the circuit supplying the heater coil with electricity. A core wire terminates prior to the distal end of the device, allowing for greater flexibility.
1. A delivery device comprising:
an elongated tubular member;
an implant retention mechanism located within said tubular member and releasably securing an implant at a distal end of said tubular member;
a core wire for strengthening said elongated tubular member; said core wire at least partially located within said tubular member; said core wire having a distal end terminating between about 2 cm and about 4 cm from said distal end of said tubular member; and,
a support coil located between said distal end of said tubular member and said distal end of said core wire;
wherein said distal end of said tubular member is primarily supported by said support coil.
2. The delivery device of claim 1 , wherein said distal end of said core wire terminates at about 3 cm from said distal end of said tubular member.
3. The delivery device of claim 1 , further comprising a heater coil connected to a distal end of said support coil.
4. The delivery device of claim 1 , wherein said core wire is located within a proximal end of said support coil but is absent from a distal end of said support coil.
5. The delivery device of claim 1 , wherein said support coil comprises a first region that is densely coiled and a second region that is less densely coiled than said first region and is distal to said first region.
6. The delivery device of claim 5 , wherein said support coil further comprises a third region that is less densely coiled than said first region and proximal to said first region.
7. The delivery device of claim 1 , wherein said implant retention mechanism further comprises a tether connected to an implant and further positioned within and proximally along a portion of said support coil.
8. A delivery device comprising:
an elongated tubular member;
an implant releasably connected to a distal end of said delivery device;
a core wire at least partially fixed within said tubular member for providing support; said core wire having a distal end terminating between about 2 cm and 4 cm from said distal end of said delivery device; and,
a support coil located between said distal end of said core wire and said distal end of said delivery device; wherein said delivery device has a higher flexibility at said support coil than at said core wire;
wherein said distal end of said delivery device is primarily supported by said support coil.
9. The delivery device of claim 8 , wherein said distal end of said core wire terminates at about 3 cm from said distal end of said delivery device.
10. The delivery device of claim 8 , further comprising a heater coil located at a distal end of said support coil.
11. The delivery device of claim 10 , wherein said heater coil is attached to said support coil.
12. The delivery device of claim 8 , wherein said support coil comprises a first region that is densely coiled and a second region that is less densely coiled than said first region and is distal to said first region.
13. The delivery device of claim 8 , wherein said core wire is located within a proximal end of said support coil but is absent from a distal end of said support coil.
14. The delivery device of claim 8 , wherein said support coil surrounds a tether that is connected to said implant.
15. A delivery device comprising:
an elongated tubular member having a proximal region and a distal region between about 2 cm and about 4 cm from a distal end of said elongated tubular member;
an implant retention mechanism located near said distal end of said elongated tubular member for selectively releasing an implant fixed to said distal end of said elongated tubular member;
a core wire located solely within said proximal region of said elongated tubular member and terminating prior to said distal region of said elongated tubular member; and
a support coil located in and primarily supporting said distal region of said elongated tubular member;
wherein said distal region of said elongated tubular member has a greater flexibility than said proximal region of said elongated tubular member.
16. The delivery device of claim 15 , wherein said distal region terminates at about 3 cm from said distal end of said elongated tubular member.
17. The delivery device of claim 15 , further comprising a heater coil directly connected to a distal end of said support coil.
18. The delivery device of claim 17 , wherein said core wire is located within a proximal end of said support coil but is absent from a distal end of said support coil.
19. The delivery device of claim 17 , further comprising a first support coil region that is densely coiled and a second support coil region that is less densely coiled than said first support coil region; wherein said first support coil region is proximal to said second support coil region.
20. The delivery device of claim 19 , further comprising a third support coil region that is less densely coiled than said first support coil region and proximal to said first support coil region.