Importance

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Abstract

A delivery appliance for delivering an expandable annular device, particularly an expandable intravascular device, to a desired location in a lumen, includes an annular array of supporting strips extending from a proximal end of the annular array to a distal end of the annular array, to define an annular supporting surface for the expandable annular device. Each of the supporting strips is laterally deformable to radially expand or radially contract the annular array and the annular supporting surface defined thereby. A connecting stem passes through the annular array of supporting strips and has a distal end coupled to the supporting strips at the distal end of the annular array for axial movement therewith, and a proximal end passing through the proximal end of the annular array of supporting strips for axial movement with respect thereto. The proximal end of the connecting stem is axially movable in opposite directions to move the distal end of the annular array axially away from or towards, the proximal end of the annular array to radially contract or radially expand the annular supporting surface.

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First Claim