A catheter system for delivery of a medical implant, the system including a cap removably covering an open distal end of a catheter. An elongate actuator wire is fixedly attached to the cap, extends through a lumen of the catheter, and has a distal region that can assume a pre-formed shape when unconstrained by the catheter lumen. The pre-formed shape of the wire distal region defines a bend adapted to laterally deflect the cap from the catheter distal end when assuming the pre-formed shape. At least a portion of the lumen adjacent the catheter distal end is sized and shaped to slidably receive the medical implant alongside the actuator wire. A push rod extends through the catheter lumen for ejecting the medical implant from the catheter distal end. Methods of using the invention are also disclosed.
