Patent ID: 7951185

Claim:
A method of delivering a stent mounted on a support member of a delivery system, comprising: expanding a balloon expandable stent crimped tightly over a balloon on the support member by expanding the balloon, wherein the stent comprises a scaffolding made of a biodegradable polymer with a glass transition temperature greater than body temperature, wherein a solid coating including a first reactant is on at least a portion of an interior surface of the balloon; disposing a fluid including a second reactant within the balloon having the solid coating to react with the first reactant included in the solid coating; allowing the first reactant and the second reactant to react within the balloon, wherein the first and the second reactants react exothermically; and allowing heat generated from the exothermic reaction to increase a temperature of the balloon expandable stent over the balloon during or after the expansion by the balloon, wherein the increase in temperature increases the flexibility of the stent scaffolding such that formation of cracks in the stent scaffolding upon its expansion is reduced or eliminated.