Patent ID: 7967830

Claim:
A system for introducing multiple medical devices into a work site within a bodily lumen of a patient comprising: an elongate medical device comprising a shaft extending between a distal end and a proximal end, a lumen extending through at least a portion of the shaft, the lumen comprising a coupling region extending between a distal opening and a proximal opening, the distal opening being disposed in the distal end of the shaft, the proximal opening being disposed a substantial distance from the proximal end of the shaft and a relatively shorter distance from the distal end of the shaft; a wire guide having a distal end and a proximal end; and an elongate separating member, wherein the wire guide is movable from a coupled position to an uncoupled position while maintaining the distal end of the elongate medical device and the distal end of the wire guide within the bodily lumen of the patient, the wire guide extending through the coupling region of the elongated medical device when in the coupled position, the wire guide not extending through the coupling region of the elongated medical device when in the uncoupled position, wherein the separating member is configured to engage and move the wire guide laterally from the coupled position to the uncoupled position while maintaining the distal end of the elongate medical device and the distal end of the wire guide within the bodily lumen of the patient and without substantially changing the longitudinal position of the wire guide relative to the elongate medical device; and wherein the separating member is configured to engage and move the wire guide laterally from the coupled position to the uncoupled position without extending through a side wall of the shaft wherein the elongate medical device comprises a prosthesis delivery system, further wherein distal movement of the separating member relative to the prosthesis delivery system results in deployment of a prosthesis mounted on the prosthesis delivery system and further wherein deployment of the prosthesis occurs substantially simultaneously with lateral movement of the wire guide from the coupled position to the uncoupled position.