Stent compression method

A method for uniformly compressing a vascular stent upon an angioplasty balloon, comprising the steps of:

• providing a vascular stent and a deflated balloon, said deflated balloon having a surface;
• providing a compression layer within a housing, said compression layer and said housing forming a pressure chamber therebetween;
• inserting said deflated balloon into said vascular stent;
• inflating said deflated balloon by transmitting pressure into said balloon;
• placing said inflated balloon, with the stent positioned around the inflated balloon, into said compression layer;
• pressurizing said pressure chamber to compress said compression layer and to apply circumferentially uniform pressure onto said vascular stent to produce compression of the vascular stent into purchase onto the balloon surface by transmitting pressure around said compression layer;
• and
• deflating said balloon by releasing pressure inside said balloon.

A method for uniformly compressing a stent upon an angioplasty balloon, comprising the steps of:

• providing a vascular stent and a deflated balloon, said deflated balloon having a surface;
• providing an elastic diaphragm within a housing, said elastic diaphragm and said housing forming a pressure chamber therebetween;
• inserting said vascular stent and said deflated balloon into said elastic diaphragm such that said vascular stent is positioned around said deflated balloon;
• inflating said balloon;
• and
• pressurizing said pressure chamber to compress said elastic diaphragm and to apply circumferentially uniform pressure onto said vascular stent to produce compression of the vascular stent into the balloon surface by transmitting pressure around said elastic diaphragm.

A method for uniformly compressing a stent upon an angioplasty balloon, comprising the steps of:

• providing a stent and a deflated balloon, said deflated balloon having a surface;
• providing an elastic diaphragm within a housing, said elastic diaphragm and said housing forming a pressure chamber therebetween;
• inserting said stent into said elastic diaphragm such that said diaphragm is positioned around said stent;
• inserting said deflated balloon into said stent;
• inflating said balloon;
• pressurizing said pressure chamber to compress said elastic diaphragm and to apply circumferentially uniform pressure onto said vascular stent to produce compression of the vascular stent on to the balloon surface by transmitting pressure around said elastic diaphragm;
• and
• releasing pressure inside said balloon.