Medical implant deployment tool

Abstract

A medical implant deployment tool and deployment method are disclosed. One aspect of the invention provides an implant system including an implant adapted for endovascular delivery and deployment; and a deployment tool adapted to deploy the implant, with the deployment tool having an actuation controller; a plurality of actuation elements adapted to apply forces to one or more implant deployment mechanisms and each adapted to extend along an actuation element path within a patient's vasculature; and an actuation element compensation mechanism adapted to compensate for differences in length between the actuation element paths.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical implant system configured to deliver a medical implant, the medical implant system comprising:
 an outer sheath having a distal end, a proximal end, and an outer sheath lumen therebetween;   a tool body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a tool body lumen therebetween, wherein the tool body is slideably disposed within the outer sheath lumen;   an actuation controller attached to the proximal end of the tool body;   three or more actuators independently moveable relative to the actuation controller, each actuator having attached thereto an elongate actuation element further comprising a unlocking actuation element moveable relative to the elongate activation element and a hook end having a first closed configuration and a second open configuration,   wherein the first closed configuration of the hook end is configured to engage, retain, and release a loop of a medical implant and the second open configuration of the hook end is configured not to retain the loop of the medical implant.   
     
     
         2 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the outer sheath has an axial length less than an axial length of the tool body. 
     
     
         3 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the outer sheath has an axial length greater than an axial length of the medical implant that the medical implant system is configured to deliver. 
     
     
         4 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the loop of the medical implant is a distalmost feature of the medical implant that the medical implant system is configured to deliver. 
     
     
         5 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein loop of the medical implant is a proximalmost feature of the medical implant that the medical implant system is configured to deliver. 
     
     
         6 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein each elongate activation element includes a tubular component configured to receive one unlocking actuation element. 
     
     
         7 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein each elongate activation element includes a tubular component configured to receive one unlocking actuation element. 
     
     
         8 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein each elongate activation element is configured as a pull wire. 
     
     
         9 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the elongate actuation elements are disposed within a single lumen of the tool body. 
     
     
         10 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the three or more elongate actuation elements are disposed within separate lumens of the tool body. 
     
     
         11 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein when the outer sheath is in a distalmost position, the medical implant is at least partially contained within the outer sheath. 
     
     
         12 . The medical implant system of  claim 11 , wherein when the outer sheath is in the distalmost position, the medical implant is entirely contained within the outer sheath. 
     
     
         13 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein when the outer sheath is in a proximalmost position, the medical implant is located distal of the distal end of the outer sheath. 
     
     
         14 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the three or more actuators are configured to be moved independently. 
     
     
         15 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the three or more actuators are configured to be moved in concert. 
     
     
         16 . The medical implant system of  claim 1 , wherein the medical implant system is configured to actuate the medical implant from a first pre-deployed elongated configuration within the outer sheath to a transitional deployed configuration in which the medical implant is disposed outside of the outer sheath and wherein further actuation of the medical implant system moves the unlocking actuation elements to the second open configuration whereupon the medical implant is released in a final deployment configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The medical implant system of  claim 16 , wherein the medical implant is in longitudinally compressed configuration when in the final deployment configuration.