RADIAL COMPRESSION APPARATUS AND METHOD OF INCREMENTALLY COMPRESSING AN ARTICLE USING SAME

摘要

A radial compression mechanism incorporates an introduction funnel that truncates down to a cylindrical cavity for radial compressing articles. The introduction funnel facilities the loading of an article into the cylindrical cavity and enables incremental radial compression of articles, such as stents. The radial compression mechanism employs a plurality of compression dies that are configured radially about the cylindrical cavity and move in unison to cause the cylindrical cavity to open or close. The compression dies are coupled with a base and drive mechanism for moving them in unison. A method of loading a delivery catheter with a radially compressed article, such as a stent, includes positioning a delivery catheter over a compressed portion of an article that extends from an exit end of the cylindrical catheter. One or more drive mechanism may be used to automatically and incrementally load a compressed article into a delivery catheter.