Patent ID: 8657866

Claim:
A deployment device for repair of a damaged portion of a body vessel, the device comprising: a prosthesis about a longitudinal axis and having a first outer end and a second outer end opposite the first outer end, the prosthesis being retainable in a compressed configuration by a removable sheath having extended end portions; a handle portion having a proximal end and a distal end; and an actuation portion comprising at least one shaft coupled to an actuation member, the at least one shaft coupled to the handle portion, a portion of the at least one shaft being positioned longitudinally between the first and second outer ends of the prosthesis, extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the prosthesis, and being coupled to at least one of the extended end portions of said removable sheath, wherein, in response to rotation of the shaft, the at least one of the extended end portions of said removable sheath is wound around the shaft and retractable in a direction toward a center of the prosthesis away from at least one of the first outer end and the second outer end of said prosthesis, whereby both of the first outer end and the second outer end of said prosthesis are capable of being expanded prior to the expansion of the center of the prosthesis.