<p>A medical device delivery system provides for a two-stage withdrawal of a deflated balloon portion (14) of a catheter (12) and the remains of a ruptured sheath (18). The deflated balloon portion is withdrawn from within an expanded medical device (16) a predetermined distance before the remains of the ruptured sheath begins being removed from between the expanded device and a vessel wall. Initiating removal of the deflated balloon portion before the sheath reduces a total amount of drag that is exerted against a self-expanding medical device that has been deployed in a vessel.</p>
