as used herein , the term “ macromer ” refers to a large molecule containing at least one active polymerization site or binding site . macromers have a larger molecular weight than monomers . for example , an acrylamide monomer has a molecular weight of about 71 . 08 grams / mole whereas a poly ( ethylene glycol ) di - acrylamide macromer may have a molecular weight of about 400 grams / mole or greater . preferred macromers are non - ionic , i . e . they are uncharged at all phs . as used herein , the term “ environmentally responsive ” refers to a material ( e . g ., a hydrogel ) that is sensitive to changes in environment including but not limited to ph , temperature , and pressure . many of the expansile materials suitable for use in the present invention are environmentally responsive at physiological conditions . as used herein , the term “ non - resorbable ” refers to a material ( e . g ., a hydrogel ) that cannot be readily and / or substantially degraded and / or absorbed by bodily tissues . as used herein , the term “ unexpanded ” refers to the state at which a hydrogel is substantially not hydrated and , therefore , not expanded . as used herein , the term “ ethylenically unsaturated ” refers to a chemical entity ( e . g ., a macromer , monomer or polymer ) containing at least one carbon - carbon double bond . as used herein , the term “ bending resistance ” refers to the resistance exhibited by a sample ( e . g ., an unexpanded hydrogel ) as it steadily and evenly is moved across a resistance - providing arm or vane . the maximum displacement of the resistance - providing arm or vane is measured at the point the sample bends and releases the resistance - providing arm or vane . that maximum displacement is converted to bending “ resistance ” or “ stiffness ” using conversions appropriate to the machine , its calibration , and the amount of resistance ( e . g ., weight ), if any , associated with the resistance - providing arm or vane . herein , the units of measure for bending resistance will be milligrams ( mg ) and essentially is the amount of force required to bend the sample . referring to fig1 - 8 , the invention is a device comprising an expansile element 1 and a carrier member 2 . the expansile element 1 may be made from a variety of suitable biocompatible polymers . in one embodiment , the expansile element 1 is made of a bioabsorbable or biodegradable polymer , such as those described in u . s . pat . nos . 7 , 070 , 607 and 6 , 684 , 884 , the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference . in another embodiment , the expansile element 1 is made of a soft conformal material , and more preferably of an expansile material such as a hydrogel . in one embodiment , the material forming the expansile element 1 is an environmentally responsive hydrogel , such as that described in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 878 , 384 , the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference . specifically , the hydrogels described in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 878 , 384 are of a type that undergoes controlled volumetric expansion in response to changes in such environmental parameters as ph or temperature . these hydrogels are prepared by forming a liquid mixture that contains ( a ) at least one monomer and / or polymer , at least a portion of which is sensitive to changes in an environmental parameter ; ( b ) a cross - linking agent ; and ( c ) a polymerization initiator . if desired , a porosigen ( e . g ., nacl , ice crystals , or sucrose ) may be added to the mixture , and then removed from the resultant solid hydrogel to provide a hydrogel with sufficient porosity to permit cellular ingrowth . the controlled rate of expansion is provided through the incorporation of ethylenically unsaturated monomers with ionizable functional groups ( e . g ., amines , carboxylic acids ). for example , if acrylic acid is incorporated into the crosslinked network , the hydrogel is incubated in a low ph solution to protonate the carboxylic acid groups . after the excess low ph solution is rinsed away and the hydrogel dried , the hydrogel can be introduced through a microcatheter filled with saline at physiological ph or with blood . the hydrogel cannot expand until the carboxylic acid groups deprotonate . conversely , if an amine - containing monomer is incorporated into the crosslinked network , the hydrogel is incubated in a high ph solution to deprotonate amines . after the excess high ph solution is rinsed away and the hydrogel dried , the hydrogel can be introduced through a microcatheter filled with saline at physiological ph or with blood . the hydrogel cannot expand until the amine groups protonate . in another embodiment , the material forming the expansile element 1 is may be an environmentally responsive hydrogel , similar to those described in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 878 , 384 ; however , an ethylenically unsaturated , and preferably non - ionic , macromer replaces or augments at least one monomer or polymer . the applicants surprisingly have discovered that hydrogels prepared in accordance with this embodiment can be softer and / or more flexible in their unexpanded state than those prepared in accordance with u . s . pat . no . 6 , 878 , 384 . indeed , hydrogels prepared in accordance with this embodiment may have an unexpanded bending resistance of from about 0 . 1 mg to about 85 mg , about 0 . 1 mg to about 50 mg , about 0 . 1 mg to about 25 mg , about 0 . 5 mg to about 10 mg , or about 0 . 5 mg to about 5 mg . the applicants also have discovered that ethylenically unsaturated and non - ionic macromers ( e . g ., poly ( ethylene glycol ) and derivatives thereof ) may be used not only to prepare a softer unexpanded hydrogel ; but , in combination with monomers or polymers containing ionizable groups , one that also may be treated to be made environmentally responsive . the surprising increase in unexpanded flexibility enables the hydrogels to be , for example , more easily deployed in an animal or deployed with reduced or no damage to bodily tissues , conduits , cavities , etceteras . the hydrogels prepared from non - ionic macromers in combination with monomers or polymers with ionizable functional groups still are capable of undergoing controlled volumetric expansion in response to changes in environmental parameters . these hydrogels may be prepared by combining in the presence of a solvent : ( a ) at least one , preferably non - ionic , macromer with a plurality of ethylenically unsaturated moieties ; ( b ) a macromer or polymer or monomer having at least one ionizable functional group and at least one ethylenically unsaturated moiety ; and ( c ) a polymerization initiator . it is worthwhile to note that with this type of hydrogel , a cross - linking agent may not be necessary for cross - linking since , in certain embodiments , the components selected may be sufficient to form the hydrogel . as hereinbefore described , a porosigen may be added to the mixture and then removed from the resultant hydrogel to provide a hydrogel with sufficient porosity to permit cellular ingrowth . the non - ionic macromer - containing hydrogels &# 39 ; controlled rate of expansion may be provided through the incorporation of at least one macromer or polymer or monomer having at least one ionizable functional group ( e . g ., amine , carboxylic acid ). as discussed above , if the functional group is an acid , the hydrogel is incubated in a low ph solution to protonate the group . after the excess low ph solution is rinsed away and the hydrogel dried , the hydrogel can be introduced through a microcatheter , preferably filled with saline . the hydrogel cannot expand until the acid group ( s ) deprotonates . conversely , if the functional group is an amine , the hydrogel is incubated in a high ph solution to deprotonate the group . after the excess high ph solution is rinsed away and the hydrogel dried , the hydrogel can be introduced through a microcatheter , preferably filled with saline . the hydrogel cannot expand until the amine ( s ) protonates . more specifically , in one embodiment , the hydrogel is prepared by combining at least one non - ionic macromer having at least one unsaturated moiety , at least one macromer or monomer or polymer having at least one ionizable functional group and at least one ethylenically unsaturated moiety , at least one polymerization initiator , and a solvent . optionally , an ethylenically unsaturated crosslinking agent and / or a porosigen also may be incorporated . preferred concentrations of the non - ionic macromers in the solvent range from about 5 % to about 40 % ( w / w ), more preferably about 20 % to about 30 % ( w / w ). a preferred non - ionic macromer is poly ( ethylene glycol ), its derivatives , and combinations thereof . derivatives include , but are not limited to , poly ( ethylene glycol ) di - acrylamide , poly ( ethylene glycol ) di - acrylate , and poly ( ethylene glycol ) dimethacrylate . poly ( ethylene glycol ) di - acrylamide is a preferred derivative of poly ( ethylene glycol ) and has a molecular weight ranging from about 8 , 500 to about 12 , 000 . the macromer may have less than 20 polymerization sites , more preferably less than 10 polymerization sites , more preferably about five or less polymerization sites , and more preferably from about two to about four polymerization sites . poly ( ethylene glycol ) di - acrylamide has two polymerization sites . preferred macromers or polymers or monomers having at least one ionizable functional group include , but are not limited to compounds having carboxylic acid or amino moieties or , derivatives thereof , or combinations thereof . sodium acrylate is a preferred ionizable functional group - containing compound and has a molecular weight of 94 . 04 g / mole . preferred concentrations of the ionizable macromers or polymers or monomers in the solvent range from about 5 % to about 40 % ( w / w ), more preferably about 20 % to about 30 % ( w / w ). at least a portion , preferably about 10 %- 50 %, and more preferably about 10 %- 30 %, of the ionizable macromers or polymers or monomers selected should be ph sensitive . it is preferred that no free acrylamide is used in the macromer - containing hydrogels of the present invention . when used , the crosslinking agent may be any multifunctional ethylenically unsaturated compound , preferably n , n ′- methylenebisacrylamide . if biodegradation of the hydrogel material is desired , a biodegradable crosslinking agent may be selected . the concentrations of the crosslinking agent in the solvent should be less than about 1 % w / w , and preferably less than about 0 . 1 % ( w / w ). as described above , if a solvent is added , it may be selected based on the solubilities of the macromer ( s ) or monomer ( s ) or polymer ( s ), crosslinking agent , and / or porosigen used . if a liquid macromer or monomer or polymer solution is used , a solvent may not be necessary . a preferred solvent is water , but a variety of aqueous and organic solvents may be used . preferred concentrations of the solvent range from about 20 % to about 80 % ( w / w ), more preferably about 50 % to about 80 % ( w / w ). crosslink density may be manipulated through changes in the macromer or monomer or polymer concentration , macromer molecular weight , solvent concentration and , when used , crosslinking agent concentration . as described above , the hydrogel may be crosslinked via reduction - oxidation , radiation , and / or heat . a preferred type of polymerization initiator is one that acts via reduction - oxidation . suitable polymerization initiators include , but are not limited to , n , n , n ′, n ′- tetramethylethylenediamine , ammonium persulfate , azobisisobutyronitrile , benzoyl peroxides , 2 , 2 ′- azobis ( 2 - methylpropionamidine ) dihydrochloride , derivatives thereof , or combinations thereof . a combination of ammonium persulfate and n , n , n ′, n ′- tetramethylethylenediamine is a preferred polymerization initiator for use in the macromer containing embodiments of the invention . after polymerization is complete , the hydrogels of the present invention may be washed with water , alcohol or other suitable washing solution ( s ) to remove any porosigen ( s ), any unreacted , residual macromer ( s ), monomer ( s ), and polymer ( s ) and any unincorporated oligomers . preferably this is accomplished by initially washing the hydrogel in distilled water . the hydrogels of the present invention may be made environmentally - responsive by protonating or deprotonating the ionizable functional groups present on the hydrogel network , as discussed above . once the hydrogel has been prepared and , if needed , washed , the hydrogel may be treated to make the hydrogel environmentally - responsive . for hydrogel networks where the ionizable functional groups are carboxylic acid groups , the hydrogel is incubated in a low ph solution . the free protons in the solution protonate the carboxylic acid groups on the hydrogel network . the duration and temperature of the incubation and the ph of the solution influence the amount of control on the expansion rate . in general , the duration and temperature of the incubation are directly proportional to the amount of expansion control , while the incubation solution ph is inversely proportional thereto . it has been determined that incubation solution water content also affects expansion control . in this regard , higher water content enables greater hydrogel expansion and is thought to increase the number of protonation - accessible carboxylic acid groups . an optimization of water content and ph is required for maximum control on expansion rate . expansion control , among other things , has an affect on device positioning / repositioning time . typically , a positioning / repositioning time of about 0 . 1 to about 30 minutes is preferred for hydrogel devices in accordance with the present invention . after incubation , the excess treating solution is washed away and the hydrogel material is dried . a hydrogel treated with the low ph solution has been observed to dry down to a smaller dimension than an untreated hydrogel . this effect is desirable since devices containing these hydrogels may be delivered through a microcatheter . for hydrogel networks where the ionizable functional groups are amine groups , the hydrogel is incubated in a high ph solution . unlike carboxylic acid functional groups , deprotonation occurs on the amine groups of the hydrogel network at high ph . aside from incubation solution ph , the incubation is carried out similarly to that of the carboxylic acid containing hydrogels . in other words , the duration and temperature of the incubation and the ph of the solution are directly proportional to the amount of expansion control . after incubation is concluded , the excess treating solution is washed away and the hydrogel material is dried . in a preferred embodiment , the expansile element 1 is an expansile hydrogel comprised of ( a ) at least one , preferably non - ionic , ethylenically unsaturated macromer or monomer or polymer having at least two crosslinkable groups ; ( b ) at least one monomer and / or polymer which has at least one crosslinkable groups , and at least one moiety that is sensitive to changes in an environmental parameter ; and ( c ) a polymerization initiator . in some embodiments , the monomers and polymers may be water soluble , while in other embodiments they may be non - water soluble . suitable polymers for components ( a ) and ( b ) include poly ( ethylene glycol ), poly ( ethylyene oxide ), poly ( vinyl alcohol ), poly ( propylene oxide ), poly ( propylene glycol ), poly ( ethylene oxide )- co - poly ( propylene oxide ), poly ( vinyl pyrrolidinone ), poly ( amino acids ), dextrans , poly ( ethyloxazoline ), polysaccharides , proteins , glycosaminoglycans , and carbohydrates , and derivatives thereof . the preferred polymer is poly ( ethylene glycol ) ( peg ), especially for component ( a ). alternatively , polymers that biodegrade partly or completely may be utilized . one embodiment comprises combining in the presence of a solvent ( a ) about 5 % to about 40 % of a non - ionic , ethylenically unsaturated macromer or monomer or polymer ; ( b ) about 5 % to about 40 % of a ethylenically unsaturated monomer or polymer with at least one ionizable functional group ; and , ( c ) a polymerization initiator . suitable ionizable , ethylenically unsaturated monomers include acrylic acid and methacrylic acid , as well as derivatives thereof . one suitable monomer having at least one ionizable functional group is sodium acrylate . suitable macromers with two ethylenically unsaturated moities include poly ( ethylene glycol ) di - acrylate and poly ( ethylene glycol ) di - acrylamide , and poly ( ethylene glycol ) di - acrylamide , which have molecular weights ranging between 400 and 30 , 000 grams / mole . the use of macromers with a plurality of ethylenically unsaturated groups permits the elimination of the crosslinker , as the crosslinker functions are performed by the multi - functional polymer . in one embodiment , the hydrogel comprises , about 5 % to about 40 % sodium acrylate , about 5 % to about 40 % poly ( ethylene glycol ) di - acrylamide , and the remaining amount water . a sodium acrylate / poly ( ethylene glycol ) di - acrylamide hydrogel is used to enhance the mechanical properties of the previously - described environmentally responsive hydrogel . since a sodium acrylate / poly ( ethylene glycol ) di - acrylamide hydrogel is softer than a sodium acrylate / acrylamide hydrogel ( e . g ., the one utilized in hydrogel embolic system ( hes ) made by microvention , aliso viejo , calif . ), devices incorporating it may be more flexible . due to the relative stiffness of the hes , microvention recommends pre - softening the device by soaking in warm fluid or steaming the implant . in addition , devices made from acrylamide are relatively straight before pre - softening because the stiffness of the acrylamide - based hydrogel prevents the carrier member ( for the hes , a microcoil ) from assuming its secondary configuration . devices made from a sodium acrylate / poly ( ethylene glycol ) di - acrylamide hydrogel may not require pre - softening techniques such as soaking in warm fluid such as saline or blood or exposure to steam in order to form into a secondary configuration heat - set into the carrier member 2 or a similar carrier member . thus , in embodiments comprising , for example , sodium acrylate and poly ( ethylene glycol ) di - acrylamide , a substantially continuous length of hydrogel disposed either within the lumen 3 of the carrier member 2 as shown in , for example , fig1 or on a carrier element such as those shown in the martinez &# 39 ; 981 application or greene &# 39 ; 261 , will form into the secondary configuration pre - formed into the carrier member without pre - treatment ( e . g . exposure to steam , fluid , or blood ). this makes the device easier to use because it allows elimination of the pre - treatment step and the device may be safer when deployed into the patient because a softer device is less likely to cause damage to the lesion . 3 g of acrylamide , 1 . 7 g of acrylic acid , 9 mg of bisacrylamide , 50 mg of n , n , n ′, n ′- tetramethylethylenediamine , 15 mg of ammonium persulfate , and 15 . 9 g water were combined and polymerized in a 0 . 020 inch tube . the tubularized polymer was removed from the tubing to prepare hydrogel 1 in accordance with u . s . pat . no . 6 , 878 , 384 . 4 . 6 g of poly ( ethylene glycol ) diacrylamide , 3 . 3 g of sodium acrylate , 100 mg of n , n , n ′, n ′- tetramethylethylenediamine , 25 mg of ammonium persulfate , and 15 . 9 g water were combined and polymerized in a 0 . 020 inch tube . the tubularized polymer was removed from the tubing to prepare hydrogel 2 , in accordance with a macromer - containing hydrogel embodiment of the present invention . a hydrogel identical to hydrogel 2 was prepared ; however , it additionally was acid treated in accordance with the present invention to prepare hydrogel 2 - acid . a large platinum microcoil has a 0 . 014 inch outer diameter and a 0 . 0025 inch filar . a small platinum microcoil has a 0 . 010 inch outer diameter and a 0 . 002 inch filar . the bending resistance of the unexpanded hydrogel samples and the bending resistance of the microcoils were obtained using a gurley 4171et tubular sample stiffness tester with a 5 - gram counterweight attached to its measuring vane . the sample length was 1 inch . the average measured resistance and standard deviation of five replicates each are summarized in the following table . the results show the large difference in relative stiffness between the first generation hydrogel 1 ( hes ), the second generation macromer - containing hydrogel 2 , the second generation macromer - containing hydrogel 2 that has been acid treated , and the microcoils . hydrogel 1 is nearly 20 times stiffer than a large platinum microcoil whereas hydrogel 2 is less than 5 times stiffer than a large platinum microcoil . the acid - treated hydrogel 2 is less stiff than a large platinum microcoil and about as stiff as a small platinum microcoil . a skilled artisan will appreciate that much more flexible unexpanded macromer - containing hydrogels are provided by the methods and materials disclosed in the present invention . when used in a medical device , these hydrogels may result in a more flexible medical device as well . in another embodiment , monomers are used to impart moieties to the expansile element 1 that are suitable for coupling bioactive compounds , for example anti - inflammatory agents such as corticosteroids ( e . g . prednisone and dexamethasone ); or vasodilators such as nitrous oxide or hydralazine ; or anti - thrombotic agents such as aspirin and heparin ; or other therapeutic compounds , proteins such as mussel adhesive proteins ( maps ), amino acids such as 3 -( 3 , 4 - dihydroxyphenyl )- l - alanine ( dopa ), genes , or cellular material ; see u . s . pat . no . 5 , 658 , 308 , wo 99 / 65401 , polymer preprints 2001 , 42 ( 2 ), 147 synthesis and characterization of self - assembling block copolymers containing adhesive moieties by kui hwang et . al ., and wo 00 / 27445 ; the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference . examples of moieties for incorporation into hydrogel materials include , but are not limited to , hydroxyl groups , amines , and carboxylic acids . in another embodiment , the expansile element 1 may be rendered radiopaque by incorporation of monomers and / or polymers containing , for example , iodine , or the incorporation of radiopaque metals such as tantalum and platinum . in some embodiments , the carrier member 2 is a flexible , elongate structure . suitable configurations for the carrier member 2 include helical coils , braids , and slotted or spiral - cut tubes . the carrier member 2 may be made of any suitable biocompatible metal or polymer such as platinum , tungsten , pet , peek , teflon , nitinol , nylon , steel , and the like . the carrier member may be formed into a secondary configuration such as helix , box , sphere , flat rings , j - shape , s - shape or other complex shape known in the art . examples of appropriate shapes are disclosed in horton u . s . pat . no . 5 , 766 , 219 ; schaefer application ser . no . 10 / 043 , 947 ; and wallace u . s . pat . no . 6 , 860 , 893 ; all hereby incorporated by reference . as previously described , some embodiments of the instant invention may comprise polymers that are sufficiently soft and flexible that a substantially continuous length of the expansile element 1 will form into a secondary configuration similar to the configuration originally set into the carrier member 2 without pre - softening the device or exposing it to blood , fluid , or steam . in some embodiments , the carrier member 2 incorporates at least one gap 7 that is dimensioned to allow the expansile element 1 to expand through the gap ( one embodiment of this configuration is shown in fig1 - 2 ). in other embodiments , the carrier member 2 incorporates at least one gap 7 that allows the expansile element 1 to be exposed to bodily fluids , but the expansile element 1 does not necessarily expand through the gap ( one embodiment of this configuration is shown in fig8 ). in other embodiments , no substantial gap is incorporated into the carrier member 2 . rather , fluid is allowed to infiltrate through the ends of the device or is injected through a lumen within the delivery system and the expansile element 1 expands and forces its way through the carrier member 2 . in one embodiment shown in fig1 , the expansile element 1 comprises an acrylamide or poly ( ethylene glycol )- based expansile hydrogel . the carrier member 2 comprises a coil . at least one gap 7 is formed in the carrier member 2 . the expansile element 1 is disposed within the lumen 3 defined by the carrier member 2 in a generally coaxial configuration . a tip 4 is formed at the distal end of the device 11 by , for example , a laser , solder , adhesive , or melting the hydrogel material itself . the expansile element 1 may run continuously from the proximal end to the distal end , or it may run for a portion of the device then terminate before reaching the distal or proximal end , or both . as an example , in one embodiment the device is dimensioned to treat a cerebral aneurysm . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the dimensions used in this example could be re - scaled to treat larger or smaller lesions . in this embodiment , the expansile element 1 is about 0 . 001 ″- 0 . 030 ″ before expansion and about 0 . 002 ″- 0 . 25 ″ after expansion . the expansile element is , for example , approximately 5 %- 30 % sodium acrylate , 10 %- 30 % poly ( ethylene glycol ) di - acrylamide with a molecular weight ranging between 400 and 30 , 000 grams / mole , and the remainder water . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the ratio of expansion could be controlled by changing the relative amounts of sodium acrylate , peg di - acrylamide , and water . the carrier member 2 in this embodiment is a microcoil in the range of about 0 . 005 ″- 0 . 035 ″ in diameter . in an alternate embodiment , the microcoil diameter has a range of 0 . 008 °- 0 . 016 °. the microcoil may have a filar in the range of 0 . 0005 ″- 0 . 01 ″. in an alternate embodiment , the filar range is 0 . 00075 ″- 0 . 004 ″. the implant 11 comprises at least one gap 7 ranging from 0 . 5 filars ( 0 . 00025 ″) long to 20 filars ( 0 . 2 ″) long . in an alternate embodiment , the gap range is between approximately 0 . 00025 ″ to 0 . 005 ″. in one preferred embodiment , the microcoil has a diameter of 0 . 012 ″ and a 0 . 002 ″ filar , with a gap 7 of 0 . 0013 ″. a coupler 13 is placed near the proximal end to allow the implant 11 to be detachably coupled to a delivery system or pushed or injected through a catheter . examples of delivery systems are found in co - pending application ser . no . 11 / 212 , 830 to fitz , u . s . pat . no . 6 , 425 , 893 to guglielmi , u . s . pat . no . 4 , 994 , 069 to ritchart , u . s . pat . no . 6 , 063 , 100 to diaz , and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 690 , 666 to berenstein ; the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference . in this embodiment , the implant 11 is constructed by formulating and mixing the hydrogel material as previously described in order to form the expansile element 1 . the carrier member 2 is wound around a helical or complex form , and then heat - set by techniques known in the art to form a secondary diameter ranging from 0 . 5 mm to 30 mm and a length ranging from 5 mm to 100 cm . after processing , washing , and optional acid treatment , the expansile element 1 is threaded through the lumen 3 of the carrier member 2 . the distal end of the expansile element 1 is then tied , for example by forming a knot , to the distal end of the carrier member 2 . adhesive , such as uv curable adhesive or epoxy , may be used to further enhance the bond between the expansile element 1 and the carrier member 2 and to form the distal tip 4 . alternatively , the tip may be formed by , for example , a laser weld or solder ball . in some embodiments , depending on the size of the gap 7 and the ratio of expansion , loops or folds 12 may form as shown in fig7 as the expansile element 1 expands . although the loop or fold 12 may not affect the functionality of the device , in some embodiments it is desirable to prevent the loop or fold 12 from forming . this can be done by stretching the expansile element 1 either before placing it within the carrier member 2 or after the distal end of the expansile element 1 is secured to the carrier member 2 . for example , once the distal end of the expansile element 1 is secured to the carrier member 2 , the expansile element 1 is stretched to a final length between 101 % to 1000 % of its initial length ( e . g . if the initial length is 1 ″, the expansile element is stretched to 1 . 01 ″- 10 . 0 ″) or to a length sufficient to prevent loops from forming in the expansile element 1 after expansion . for example , in the previously described cerebral aneurysm treatment embodiment , the expansile element 1 is stretched to a final length , which is approximately 125 %- 600 % of the initial length . in an alternate embodiment , the expansile element 1 is stretched to a final length , which is approximately 125 %- 300 % of the initial length . in one preferred embodiment the expansile element is stretched to a final length that is approximately 267 % of its initial length . after stretching , the expansile element 1 may be trimmed to match the length of the carrier member 2 and then bonded near the proximal end of the carrier member 2 by , for example , tying a knot , adhesive bonding , or other techniques known in the art . once the implant 11 has been constructed , it is attached to a delivery system previously described by methods known in the art . the device may also be exposed to , for example , e - beam or gamma radiation to cross - link the expansile element 1 and to control its expansion . this is described in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 537 , 569 which is assigned to the assignee of this application and hereby incorporated by reference . previously , the secondary dimensions of prior devices ( e . g . hes ) are generally sized to a dimension 1 - 2 mm smaller than the dimension ( i . e . volume ) of the treatment site due to the relative stiffness of these devices . the increased flexibility and overall design of the implant 11 of the instant invention allows the secondary shape of the implant 11 to be sized to a dimension approximately the same size as the treatment site , or even somewhat larger . this sizing further minimizes the risk of the implant moving in or slipping out of the treatment site . prior implant devices , such as the hes device , currently provide the user with about 5 minutes of repositioning time . however , the implant 11 of the present invention increases the length of repositioning time . in some embodiments , the repositioning time during a procedure can be increased to about 30 minutes . in this respect , the user is provided with a longer repositioning time to better achieve a desired implant configuration fig2 shows an implant 11 similar to that shown in fig1 after the expansile element 1 has expanded through the gap 7 to a dimension larger than the carrier member 2 . fig3 shows an implant 11 wherein multiple expansile elements 1 run somewhat parallel to each other through the carrier member 2 . in one embodiment , this configuration is constructed by looping a single expansile element 1 around the tip 4 of the implant 11 and tying both ends of the expansile element 1 to the proximal end of the carrier member 2 . in another embodiment , multiple strands of the expansile element 1 may be bonded along the length of the carrier member 2 . the construction of these embodiments may also comprise stretching the expansile element 1 as previously described and / or forming gaps in the carrier member 2 . fig4 shows an embodiment wherein the implant 11 comprises a non - coil carrier member 2 . in one embodiment , the carrier member 2 is formed by cutting a tube or sheet of plastic such as polyimide , nylon , polyester , polyglycolic acid , polylactic acid , peek , teflon , carbon fiber or pyrolytic carbon , silicone , or other polymers known in the art with , for example ; a cutting blade , laser , or water jet in order to form slots , holes , or other fenestrations through which the expansile element 1 may be in contact with bodily fluids . the plastic in this embodiment may also comprise a radiopaque agent such as tungsten powder , iodine , or barium sulfate . in another embodiment , the carrier member 2 is formed by cutting a tube or sheet of metal such as platinum , steel , tungsten , nitinol , tantalum , titanium , chromium - cobalt alloy , or the like with , for example ; acid etching , laser , water jet , or other techniques known in the art . in another embodiment , the carrier member 2 is formed by braiding , knitting , or wrapping metallic or plastic fibers in order to form fenestrations . fig5 shows an implant 11 comprising a carrier member 2 , an expansile element 1 , and a stretch resistant member 10 . the stretch resistant member 10 is used to prevent the carrier member 2 from stretching or unwinding during delivery and repositioning . the stretch resistant member 10 may be made from a variety of metallic or plastic fibers such as steel , nitinol , pet , peek , nylon , teflon , polyethylene , polyolefin , polyolefin elastomer , polypropylene , polylactic acid , polyglycolic acid , and various other suture materials known in the art . construction of the implant 11 may be by attaching the ends of the stretch resistant member 10 to the ends of the carrier member 2 as described by u . s . pat . no . 6 , 013 , 084 to ken and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 217 , 484 to marks both hereby incorporated by reference . alternatively , the distal end of the stretch resistant member 10 may be attached near the distal end of the carrier member 2 and the proximal end to the stretch resistant member 10 attached to the delivery system as described in co - pending application ser . no . 11 / 212 , 830 to fitz . fig6 is an alternative embodiment comprising a stretch resistant member 10 wrapped around , tied to , or intertwined with the expansile element 1 . this may occur over the length of the expansile element 1 , or the wrapping or tying may be in only one area to facilitate bonding the expansile element 1 to the carrier element 2 by using the stretch resistant member 10 as a bonding element . fig7 shows a loop or fold 12 of the expansile element 1 protruding outside the carrier element 2 . in some embodiments , it may be desirable to avoid this condition by , for example , stretching the expansile element 1 as previously described . this would be done , for example , in embodiments configured for delivery through a small microcatheter to prevent the implant 11 from becoming stuck in the microcatheter during delivery . in other embodiments , slack may be added to the expansile element 1 so that the loop or fold will be pre - formed into the implant 11 . this would be done in embodiments where , for example , a large amount of volumetric filling were necessary because the loops or folds would tend to increase the total length of the expansile element 1 . fig8 shows an embodiment wherein the expansile element 1 is configured to expand to a dimension larger than its initial dimension , but smaller than the outer dimension of the carrier member 2 . this may be done by adjusting the ratio of , for example , peg di - acrylamide to sodium acrylate in embodiments wherein the expansile element 1 comprises a hydrogel . alternatively , a relatively high dose of radiation could be used to cross - link the expansile element 1 , thus limiting its expansion . embodiments such as shown in fig8 are desirable when low volumetric filling is necessary and it is desirable to have a substrate for tissue growth and proliferation that the expansile element 1 provides . in an embodiment used to treat cerebral aneurysms , this configuration would be used as a final or “ finishing ” coil , or in devices dimensioned to treat small ( under 10 mm diameter ) aneurysms , or as a first “ framing ” or 3 - d coil placed . in one embodiment , the expansile element 1 comprises a hydrogel incorporating a porosigen as previously described to provide a reticulated matrix to encourage cell growth and healing . incorporating , for example , growth hormones or proteins in the expansile element 1 as previously described may further enhance the ability of the implant 11 to elicit a biological response . in one embodiment of the invention a vaso - occlusive device comprises an expansile polymer element having an outer surface , a carrier member that covers at least a portion of the outer surface of the expansile polymer element , and wherein no carrier is disposed within the outer surface of the expansile element . in another embodiment , a vaso - occlusive device comprises a coil having a lumen and a hydrogel polymer having an outer surface wherein the hydrogel polymer is disposed within the lumen of the coil and wherein the hydrogel polymer does not contain a coil within the outer surface of the hydrogel polymer . in another embodiment , a vaso - occlusive device comprises a carrier member formed into a secondary configuration and an expansile element , wherein the expansile element is made from a polymer formulated to have sufficient softness that the expansile element will substantially take the shape of the secondary configuration formed into the carrier member without pre - treatment . in another embodiment , a vaso - occlusive device comprises a carrier member formed into a secondary configuration and a substantially continuous length of hydrogel , wherein the device will substantially take the shape of the secondary configuration formed into the carrier member without pre - treatment . in another embodiment , a vaso - occlusive device comprises a microcoil having an inner lumen and an expansile element disposed within the inner lumen . in this embodiment the expansile element comprises a hydrogel selected from the group consisting of acrylamide , poly ( ethylene glycol ), pluronic , and poly ( propylene oxide ). in another embodiment , a vaso - occlusive device comprises a coil and a hydrogel polymer disposed at least partially within the coil wherein the hydrogel has an initial length and wherein the hydrogel polymer has been stretched to a second length that is longer than the initial length . in another embodiment , a vaso - occlusive device comprises an expansile element and a carrier member defining an inner lumen , wherein the expansile element is disposed within the inner lumen of the carrier member and wherein the expansile element has been stretched to a length sufficient to prevent a loop of the expansile element from protruding through the carrier member . the invention disclosed herein also includes a method of manufacturing a medical device . the method comprises providing a carrier member having an inner lumen and an expansile element , inserting the expansile element into the inner lumen of the carrier member , and stretching the expansile element . in another embodiment , a vaso - occlusive device comprises an expansile element encapsulated by a carrier element , wherein said expansile element is comprised substantially entirely and substantially uniformly of material having an expansile property . in another embodiment , a vaso - occlusive device comprises a carrier element and an expansile element wherein the carrier element has a secondary shape that is different from its primary shape and wherein the expansile element is sufficiently flexible in a normal untreated state to conform with the secondary shape of the carrier . in another embodiment , a vaso - occlusive device includes a carrier and an expansile element wherein the expansile element is fixed to the carrier in a manner such that the expansile element is in a stretched state along the carrier . in another embodiment , a vaso - occlusive device includes a carrier having a plurality of gaps along the carrier and an expansile element positioned along an inside envelope of the carrier and wherein the expansion of the expansile element is controlled such that the expansile element expands into the gaps but not beyond the external envelope of the carrier . in another embodiment , a vaso - occlusive device includes a carrier member and an expansile element wherein the expansile element is comprised of multiple strands extending along the carrier . in another embodiment , a vaso - occlusive device includes a carrier and an expansile member wherein the carrier is a non - coiled cylindrically shaped structure and wherein said expansile member is disposed inside said carrier . in another embodiment , a vaso - occlusive device includes a carrier and an expansile member and a stretch resistant member ; said expansile member and said stretch resistant member being disposed in an internal region of the carrier and wherein the stretch resistant member is in tension on said carrier . the invention disclosed herein also includes a method of treating a lesion within a body . the method comprises providing a vaso - occlusive device comprising a carrier member and an expansile element wherein the carrier member is formed into a secondary configuration that is approximately the same diameter as the lesion and inserting the vaso - occlusive device into the lesion . although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in this specification and the accompanying drawings , it will be appreciated that a number of variations and modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the pertinent arts . thus , the scope of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments and examples described herein , but should be deemed to encompass alternative embodiments and equivalents . unless otherwise indicated , all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients , properties such as molecular weight , reaction conditions , and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “ about .” accordingly , unless indicated to the contrary , the numerical parameters set forth in the specification and attached claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present invention . at the very least , and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims , each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques . notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations , the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible . any numerical value , however , inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in their respective testing measurements . the terms “ a ,” “ an ,” “ the ” and similar referents used in the context of describing the invention ( especially in the context of the following claims ) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural , unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context . recitation of ranges of values herein is merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range . unless otherwise indicated herein , each individual value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein . all methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . the use of any and all examples , or exemplary language ( e . g ., “ such as ”) provided herein is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention otherwise claimed . no language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non - claimed element essential to the practice of the invention . groupings of alternative elements or embodiments of the invention disclosed herein are not to be construed as limitations . each group member may be referred to and claimed individually or in any combination with other members of the group or other elements found herein . it is anticipated that one or more members of a group may be included in , or deleted from , a group for reasons of convenience and / or patentability . when any such inclusion or deletion occurs , the specification is deemed to contain the group as modified thus fulfilling the written description of all markush groups used in the appended claims . certain embodiments of this invention are described herein , including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention . of course , variations on these described embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description . the inventor expects skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate , and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than specifically described herein . accordingly , this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law . moreover , any combination of the above - described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . furthermore , numerous references have been made to patents and printed publications throughout this specification . each of the above - cited references and printed publications are individually incorporated herein by reference in their entirety . in closing , it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention disclosed herein are illustrative of the principles of the present invention . other modifications that may be employed are within the scope of the invention . thus , by way of example , but not of limitation , alternative configurations of the present invention may be utilized in accordance with the teachings herein . accordingly , the present invention is not limited to that precisely as shown and described .
devices for the occlusion of body cavities , such as the embolization of vascular aneurysms and the like , and methods for making and using such devices . the devices may be comprised of novel expansile materials , novel infrastructure design , or both . the devices provided are very flexible and enable deployment with reduced or no damage to bodily tissues , conduits , cavities , etceteras .