Hand held stent crimping device

A stent loading and crimping device for loading and crimping a stent about a catheter comprising:

• (a) an end unit having a plurality of openings extending into said end unit from a proximal side thereof, a collet retaining base member on the proximal side thereof, an extension centered on said collet retaining base member, a stent retaining member fitted about said extension, a stent held by said stent retaining member and a guide wire centered and embedded within said end unit and extending longitudinally for a distance through said extension, said stent retaining member and said stent;
• (b) a collet having a base with an opening therethrough and a plurality of radially compressible fingers extending outwardly from said base, said collet base opening being fitted about said end unit collet retaining member such that said fingers extend from said collet base toward a proximal end of the device;
• (c) a main unit having a main body with a cam-like pathway extending generally along said main body and a proximal extension of said main body, an opening within said main body and proximal extension, and tabs at the distal end of said main unit which tabs fit into said openings of said end unit;
• (d) a rotatable sleeve having internal cam followers and an internal driver, said sleeve fitting about said collet and cam-like pathway;
• and
• (e) a cap releasably positioned over said main body proximal extension, an opening through the proximal end of said cap, and a compressible washer within said cap.