Endoluminal prosthesis delivery system and method

A method for deploying an endoluminal prosthesis, the method comprising:

• delivering a first endoluminal prosthesis housed within a lumen of a delivery sheath through a patient's skin and to a body vessel;
• exposing the first endoluminal prosthesis from a proximal end of the delivery sheath at a target location within the body vessel;
• retracting a proximal end of the delivery sheath distally away from the distal end of the first endoluminal prosthesis after exposing the first endoluminal prosthesis;
• expanding the first endoluminal prosthesis into engagement with a wall of the body vessel;
• delivering a second endoluminal prosthesis to a distal opening of the delivery sheath, wherein the second endoluminal prosthesis is housed within a peel-away sheath having at least two portions;
• advancing the second endoluminal prosthesis proximally relative to the peel-away sheath and into the distal opening of the delivery sheath;
• while advancing the second endoluminal prosthesis, peeling away the at least two portions of the peel-away sheath;
• advancing the second endoluminal prosthesis proximally through the delivery sheath;
• exposing the second endoluminal prosthesis from a proximal end of the delivery sheath;
• and
• expanding the second endoluminal prosthesis into an overlapping engagement with the first endoluminal prosthesis.

A system for facilitating deployment of an endoluminal prosthesis, the system comprising:

• a delivery sheath having proximal and distal ends and a lumen extending therebetween;
• a first endoluminal prosthesis having a compressed delivery state and an expanded state and being preloaded in the delivery state within the delivery sheath and moveable proximally relative to the delivery sheath;
• and
• a second prosthesis having a compressed delivery state and an expanded state and being preloaded in its delivery state into a peel-away sheath and moveable proximally relative to the peel-away sheath;
• wherein the peel-away sheath is sized and configured to mate with the delivery sheath where an inner diameter of the peel-away sheath generally corresponds to an inner diameter of the delivery sheath so that the second prosthesis is moveable from within the peel-away sheath into the delivery sheath lumen while remaining in its delivery state.