An expandable stent has a sheeted material which is expanded from a compacted
configuration to an expanded configuration. The sheet is maintained in the compacted
configuration at least in part by operation of a dynamic force, and the expansion
occurs at least in part by removal of the dynamic force. In preferred embodiments,
a biocompatible sheeted material is wrapped around a split reed grasper to produce
a compacted configuration, and the split reed grasper is rotated to maintain the
compacted configuration during insertion of the stent into a patient. The rotation
is continued while the stent is positioned, and then the rotation is stopped or
slowed to permit expansion of the sheet.