A composite stent having a substrate tube made of stainless steel, a
nickel-cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy, or chonichrome with at least one
metal cladding tube is disclosed. Specifically, the substrate tube is
placed within a metal cladding tube made of platinum, gold, tantalum,
tungsten, platinum-iridium, palladium, or nickel-titanium, preferably
with an interference fit therebetween. The composite, laminate tube then
undergoes a series of rolling or cold drawing processes interspersed with
heat treating to release built up stresses. When the final diameter of
the laminate tube is reached, the cladding has been laminated to the
exterior of the substrate tube by a bond generated from the rolling
and/or cold drawing operations. The finished laminate tube is then cut by
laser cutting or chemical etching to form a suitable stent pattern.