Self-expanding stent and stent delivery system for treatment of vascular disease

An integrated balloon catheter (2) and self-expanding stent (20), and stent delivery system are provided for treating vascular diseases such as partially occluded blood vessels within the brain. The self-expanding stent is preferably mounted on an elongated core wire (14), is disposed within a delivery lumen (7) of a balloon catheter and is held in a compressed state onto the elongated core wire by a pair of actuatable retaining rings (19,21). When the stent is properly positioned with a vessel, the actuatable retaining rings are activated to release the compressed stent to thereby permit the stent to expand within the vessel.