Hybrid balloon-expandable/self-expanding prosthesis for deployment in a body vessel and method of making

1. A method of making a hybrid prosthesis, the method comprising:

loading a proximal portion of a stent body comprising a shape memory alloy into a first hollow mandrel, the shape memory alloy having values of A s and A f below body temperature;

loading a distal portion of the stent body comprising the shape memory alloy over a second hollow mandrel, the second hollow mandrel comprising one or more throughholes in a wall thereof for passage of a cooling fluid;

heating the proximal portion of the stent body to a temperature in the range of from about 300° C. to about 550° C.;

exposing the distal portion of the stent body to a cooling fluid during the heating; and

increasing the values of A s and A f in the proximal portion of the stent body to greater than body temperature while the values of A s and A f in the distal portion of the stent body remain below body temperature, thereby forming a hybrid prosthesis including a balloon expandable proximal portion and a self-expanding distal portion.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein, prior to loading the proximal portion of the stent body into the first hollow mandrel, the stent body is partially compressed.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first hollow mandrel comprises an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of a compressed medical balloon on a balloon catheter.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first hollow mandrel includes a tapered portion at a distal end thereof, a remaining portion of the first hollow mandrel comprising an untapered portion having a substantially constant diameter along a length of the remaining portion, wherein the tapered distal portion increases from the constant diameter to a larger diameter in a direction of the second hollow mandrel.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second hollow mandrel has an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of the first hollow mandrel.