Patent ID: 8518096

Claim:
A prosthesis delivery system comprising: a stent/graft composite prosthesis comprising a radially expandable stent having opposed proximal and distal stent ends and a stent body therebetween, and an elongated graft extending from said distal stent end; and a deployment device comprising: an elongated outer sheath, the outer sheath overlying the graft and said distal stent end of said prosthesis, the outer sheath maintaining said overlayed portions of said prosthesis in a radially compressed state, said outer sheath being retractable with respect to said graft for allowing radial expansion of said graft and said distal stent end; and a stent retaining member, the stent retaining member overlying and engaging said proximal stent end, the stent retaining member maintaining said proximal stent end in a radially compressed state independent of the outer sheath, said proximal stent end is positionable within said stent retaining member, said retaining member being independently removable from said proximal stent end for allowing radial expansion of said proximal stent end independent from the expansion of said distal stent end, wherein said stent retaining member is positionable within said elongated outer sheath and wherein said stent retaining member is retractable in the opposite direction of retraction of said outer sheath.