Patent ID: 7717949

Claim:
A method of loading a covered self-expanding stent into a delivery sheath, comprising: providing a covered self-expanding stent having a luminal covering layer and a length of 200 mm or more, the self-expanding stent comprising a collocation of stenting rings, each stenting ring spaced from an adjacent stenting ring, the stenting rings having an expanded configuration defining an expanded perimeter and a compressed configuration defining a compressed perimeter smaller than the expanded perimeter; providing a stent pusher having an outer perimeter smaller than the compressed perimeter of the stenting rings, the stent pusher including protrusions arranged helically about a distal end of the stent pusher; radially compressing the covered self-expanding stent over the protrusions, the protrusions pressing into the luminal covering layer; disposing a delivery sheath over the covered self-expanding stent; and withdrawing the stent pusher by unscrewing it from the luminal covering layer.