Protective loading of stents

A system for protecting a stent from contact during loading comprising:

• ma stent, the stent having a length and an outer diameter;
• a protective sleeve, the protective sleeve defined by a substantially tubular wall, the substantially tubular wall defining an inner diameter and outer diameter of the protective sleeve, the protective sleeve constructed and arranged to be positioned over the stent, inner diameter of the protective sleeve being greater than the outer diameter of the stent, the protective sleeve having a length, the length of the sleeve being longer than the length of the stent, a portion of the protective sleeve extending beyond the length of the stent defining a sleeve extension;
• a loading tool for loading the stent onto a catheter, the loading tool constructed and arranged to be positioned about at least a portion of a stent retaining sleeve of the catheter, the loading tool defining a tip region, the tip region constructed and arranged to separate the substantially tubular wall of the protective sleeve and the stent from one another when the protective sleeve is pulled over the tip region of the loading tool, when the protective sleeve is pulled over the tip region of the loading tool, the stent is advanced into a lumen defined by the at least a portion of a stent retaining sleeve of the catheter.