Single peel stent introducer apparatus

A stent introducer apparatus comprising:

• an elongate outer sheath having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;
• an elongate inner stent carrier movably disposed within the outer sheath, the inner stent carrier having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion;
• a deployable stent, the stent being disposed within the distal end portion of the outer sheath and being engaged by the distal end portion of the inner stent carrier;
• and
• a handle comprising a housing and a rotatable reel, the proximal end portion of the outer sheath being connected directly to the reel, and the proximal end portion of the inner stent carrier being connected to the housing,
• wherein the inner stent carrier is fixed against longitudinal movement relative to the handle, and the outer sheath is longitudinally movable relative to the handle,
• wherein the proximal end portion of the outer sheath is splittable along a single side thereof to facilitate lateral separation from the proximal end portion of the inner stent carrier in response to a transversely applied pulling force;
• and
• wherein the stent is deployed by rotating the reel relative to the housing so as to peel the proximal end portion of the outer sheath away from the proximal end portion of the inner stent carrier, the proximal end portion of the outer sheath being laterally separated from the inner stent carrier and wrapped around the reel as the reel is rotated, the distal end portion of the outer sheath being moved in a proximal direction relative to the distal end portion of the inner stent carrier as the proximal end portion of the outer sheath is peeled away from the proximal end portion of the inner stent carrier.