Patent ID: 8206431

Claim:
A stent delivery system comprising: a stent delivery catheter, the stent delivery catheter having a stent mounting region, the stent mounting region having an inflatable portion; a stent disposed about the stent mounting region, the stent having an unexpanded state and an expanded state; a stent retaining sleeve having first and second ends and a body extending therebetween, the first end being attached to the stent delivery catheter adjacent to a first end of the stent mounting region, at least a portion of the stent retaining sleeve disposed about and covering the entire stent in its unexpanded state so that the second end of the stent retaining sleeve is adjacent a second end of the stent mounting region, the stent retaining sleeve being constructed and arranged to retract toward the attached first end when the stent is expanded, wherein the at least a portion of the stent retaining sleeve disposed about and covering the entire stent having an inner surface comprising first portions and second portions wherein the first portions of the inner surface are positioned closer to the outer surface of the stent than the second portions, wherein the stent retaining sleeve has a plurality of openings.