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Apparatus for delivering and deploying a stent formed of a shape memory alloy to a desired position in a tubular area of the body, and/or for repositioning and/or retrieving a stent formed of a two-way shape memory alloy. An arrangement is provided by which the temperature of the stent is locally ad

Apparatus for delivering and deploying a stent formed of a shape memory alloy to a desired position in a tubular area of the body, and/or for repositioning and/or retrieving a stent formed of a two-way shape memory alloy. An arrangement is provided by which the temperature of the stent is locally adjusted during delivery, repositioning and/or retrieval in a safe and controlled manner by engagement with an expandable and collapsible thermal transfer member situated on a catheter assembly.

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Apparatus for delivering and deploying a stent formed of a shape memory alloy to a desired position in a tubular area of the body, and/or for repositioning and/or retrieving a stent formed of a two-way shape memory alloy. An arrangement is provided by which the temperature of the stent is locally ad

Apparatus for delivering and deploying a stent formed of a shape memory alloy to a desired position in a tubular area of the body, and/or for repositioning and/or retrieving a stent formed of a two-way shape memory alloy. An arrangement is provided by which the temperature of the stent is locally adjusted during delivery, repositioning and/or retrieval in a safe and controlled manner by engagement with an expandable and collapsible thermal transfer member situated on a catheter assembly. ce factors further comprises laminin. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein said one or more guidance factors further comprises stem cells. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein said stem cells are neuronal stem cells. 26. The method of claim 23 wherein neurite alignment of said severed nerve along said one or more grooves is at least about 90 percent. 27. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more grooves contain Schwann cells at a concentration of at least about 50,000 cells/cm2. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein said one or more grooves contain Schwann cells at a concentration of up to about 400,000 cells/cm2. 29. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more grooves contain laminin at a concentration of at least about 100 μg/ml. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein said one or more grooves contain laminin at a concentration of up to about 200 μg/ml. 31. The method of claim 1, wherein said severed nerve is part of the peripheral nervous system of a vertebrate. 32. The method of claim 1, wherein said severed nerve is part of the central nervous system of a vertebrate. 33. The method of claim 1, wherein said severed nerve is an optic nerve. 34. A method for regenerating a severed nerve, comprising: providing a porous guidance conduit having an inner surface and an outer surface; providing a substrate containing one or more substantially linear grooves, wherein said one or more grooves contain one or more guidance factors for nerve regeneration and wherein said substrate is disposed on the inner surface of said conduit; positioning said guidance conduit in proximity to a severed end of said nerve; and allowing said severed nerve to grow into said grooves of said substrate. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein said guidance conduit is sutured to at least one end of said severed nerve. 36. A method for regenerating a severed nerve, comprising: providing a substrate having a surface containing a plurality of substantially linear grooves, wherein said one or more grooves are substantially parallel and contain one or more guidance factors for nerve regeneration; wherein said substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of poly(D,L-lactide), and copolymers of lactic and glycolic acids; providing a porous guidance conduit having an inner surface wherein said substrate is disposed on the inner surface of said conduit; attaching said guidance conduit between the severed ends of said nerve; and allowing said severed nerve to grow into said grooves of said substrate. 37. The method of claim 36 wherein said one or more guidance factors comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Schwann cells and laminin. 38. The method of claim 37 wherein said one or more grooves are at least about 5 μm wide, spaced at least about 10 μm apart, and are at least about 1 μm deep. 39. The method of claim 38 wherein said one or more grooves are no greater than about 10 μm wide, spaced no greater than about 100 μm apart, and are no greater than about 4 μm deep. 40. An apparatus for regenerating a severed nerve comprising: a substrate having a surface containing one or more substantially linear grooves at least about 5 μm wide, spaced at least about 10 μm apart, and at least about 1 μm deep, wherein said one or more grooves contain one or more guidance factors for nerve regeneration, said guidance factors being selected from the group consisting of Schwann cells, stem cells, nerve growth factor, laminin, collagen, polylysine and chicken plasma; and one or more negative guidance factors comprising poly(vinyl alchohol). 41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said substrate is in the form of a cylinder. 42. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said cylindrical form has an inner and an outer surface and said one or more grooves are disposed on said inner surface. 43. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said one or more negative guidance factors are disposed in between said one or more grooves. 44. T he apparatus of claim 40, wherein said substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of poly(D,L-lactide), lactic acid, glycolic acids, glycolide trimethylene carbonate, polyester, polyglycolic acid, collagen, polylactic acid, poly(organo)phosphazine, polyorthoester, glycosaminoglycan, L-lactide, ε-caprolactone, polyurethane, polyimides, and polystyrene. 45. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said substrate comprises poly(D,L-lactide). 46. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said substrate comprises copolymers of lactic and glycolic acids. 47. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said substrate further comprises at least one electrode. 48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said electrode is positioned in said one or more grooves. 49. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said one or more grooves are at least about 1 μm in width. 50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein said one or more grooves are up to about 50 μm in width. 51. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said one or more grooves are at least about 5 μm in width. 52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein said one or more grooves are up to about 10 μm in width. 53. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said one or more grooves are about 10 μm in width. 54. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said one or more grooves are spaced at least about 10 μm apart. 55. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said one or more grooves are spaced up to about 20 μm apart. 56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein said one or more grooves are spaced up to about 100 μm apart. 57. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said one or more grooves are at least about 1 μm in depth. 58. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein said one or more grooves are up to about 4 μm in depth. 59. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said one or more guidance factors comprises Schwann cells. 60. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein said one or more guidance factors comprises stem cells. 61. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein said stem cells are neuronal stem cells. 62. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said one or more guidance factors comprises laminin. 63. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein said one or more guidance factors further comprises stem cells. 64. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein said stem cells are neuronal stem cells. 65. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said one or more grooves contain Schwann cells at a concentration of at least about 50,000 cells/cm2. 66. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said one or more grooves contain Schwann cells at a concentration of up to about 400,000 cells/cm2. 67. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said one or more grooves contain laminin at a concentration of at least about 100 μg/ml. 68. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said one or more grooves contain laminin at a concentration of up to about 200 μg/ml. 69. An apparatus adapted for connection to at least one end of a severed nerve, comprising: a cylindrical porous guidance conduit having an inner and an outer surface; a substrate having a surface containing one or more substantially linear grooves, wherein said grooves contain one or more guidance factors for nerve regeneration; and wherein said substrate is disposed on the inner surface of said guidance conduit. 70. An apparatus adapted for connection to at least one end of a severed nerve, comprising: a cylindrical guidance conduit having an inner and an outer surface; wherein said guidance conduit is sutured to at least one end of said severed nerve; a substrate having a surface containing one or more substantially linear grooves, wherein said grooves contain one or more guidance factors for nerve regeneration; and wherein said substrate is disposed on the inner surface of said guidance conduit. 71. An apparatus for regenerating a severed nerve, comprising: a porous cylindrical guidance conduit having an inner and outer surface; a substrate having a surface containing one or more substantially linear grooves, wherein said one or more grooves contain one or more guidance factors for nerve regeneration, said guidance factors being selected from the group consisting of Schwann cells, stem cells, nerve growth factor, laminin, collagen, polylysine and chicken plasma; and wherein said substrate is disposed on the inner surface of said guidance conduit. 72. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein said substrate comprises a material selected from group consisting of poly(D,L-lactide) or copolymers of lactic and glycolic acids. 73. The apparatus of claim 72, wherein said one or more guidance factors comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Schwann cells and laminin. 74. The apparatus of claim 71 wherein said one or more grooves are at least about 5 μm wide, spaced at least about 10 μm apart, and are at least about 1 μm deep. 75. The apparatus of claim 74 wherein said one or more grooves are no greater than about 10 μm wide, spaced no greater than about 100 μm apart, and are no greater than about 4 μm deep.