Patent ID: 8247019

Claim:
A method of coating or modifying the surface of an elongate medical device component comprising the steps of: attaching an expanding tool to a plurality of circumferentially spaced attachment portions projecting outwardly from an outer surface of a resilient tubular sleeve; radially expanding the resilient tubular sleeve by moving the plurality of circumferentially spaced attachment portions radially outward by pulling same with the expanding tool thereby putting the sleeve in a radially expanded state having a polygonal shape; positioning the tubular sleeve in the expanded state at a particular longitudinal location on the elongate medical device; allowing the plurality of circumferentially spaced attachment portions to retract radially inward whereby the tubular sleeve covers a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the elongate medical device at the particular longitudinal location while leaving other portions of the outer circumferential surface of the elongate medical device uncovered by the tubular sleeve; at least one of modifying the outer circumferential surface or providing a coating to the outer circumferential surface of the elongate medical device after the sleeve has been positioned on the elongate medical device; and removing the sleeve from the elongate medical device.