Patent ID: 8679572

Claim:
A method for coupling a stent to a polymeric coating for delivery of one or more therapeutic agents, the method including: aligning at least a portion of a polymeric coating over a balloon of a balloon catheter; softening at least a portion of the polymeric coating to facilitate expansion of the polymeric coating from a first state having a first outer diameter to a second state having a second outer diameter; aligning a stent at least partially over the polymeric coating when the polymeric coating is in the first state; inflating the balloon to expand the polymeric coating from the first state to the second state, wherein the balloon is expanded to a diameter greater than or equal to a predetermined deployed diameter of the stent to at least partially embed the inner surface of the stent into the outer surface of the polymeric coating; maintaining inflation of the balloon for a predetermined period of time to permit the polymeric coating to become secured to the inner surface of the stent to create a coated stent; deflating the balloon; and thereafter compressing the stent onto a delivery catheter.