Abstract: A device for maintaining patency of a prostatic urethra includes a stent having a proximal end, a distal end, and a passageway therebetween. The device includes longitudinal and angled struts and nodes, each longitudinal strut coupled to at least one angled strut at a corresponding node, the struts and nodes coupled to each other to form a plurality of cells, circumferentially adjacent cells forming stent regions. The stent includes a nose region, a body region, and a tail region. The stent is configured to expand from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration within a bodily lumen. The stent includes a collapsibility gradient along its length such that it provides a nose region radial force at the nose region, a body region radial force at the body region, and a tail region radial force at the tail region, wherein the nose region radial force is less than the tail region radial force, and the tail region radial force is less than the body region radial force.

Abstract: A stent is disclosed that is configured to maintain patency of the prostatic urethra despite an enlarged prostate. The stent can include a handle that, in an undeflected position, is disposed outside of the flow path of the stent. When the handle is pulled, the handle can deflect to generally aligned with a central axis of the stent. A capture device is disclosed that includes a tapered tip to navigate a working channel of a delivery device and a hook that can capture the stent handle and be moved into a tube to retain the stent handle to facilitate maneuvering of the stent in and out of the working channel of the delivery device. A loading adapter with a tapered port is disclosed that can be disposed on the delivery device to distribute compressive forces applied by the port on the stent during loading into the working channel.