A catheter balloon or other expandable tubular medical device or component, having
at least a first layer with a first section and a second section longitudinally
compacted by more than the first section. In a presently preferred embodiment,
the second section of the first layer extends at least in part along a central
portion of the length of the first layer. The longitudinal compaction of the material
of the first layer preferably results in a balloon or other expandable tubular
medical device or component having improved performance characteristics such as
compliance and dimensional stability. One aspect of the invention is directed to
a method of longitudinally compacting a porous polymeric tube incrementally along
the length of the tube, to compact sections of the tube.
