Patent ID: 8114466

Claim:
A method of applying a coating material to a stent, comprising: (i) providing a generally tubular stent having an inside surface and an outside surface; (ii) providing a coating material; and (iii) applying the coating material to the inside surface of the stent without applying the coating material to the outside surface of the stent, wherein the step of applying the coating material to the inside surface of the stent without applying the coating material to the outside surface of the stent includes the steps of: (a) providing a mandrel having a diameter less than an interior diameter of the stent; (b) providing the coating material around the mandrel; (c) placing the stent around the mandrel in the area of the coating material; (d) crimping the stent by reducing its diameter so that the inside surface of the stent contacts the coating material; and (e) transferring the coating material to the inside surface of the stent.