a method for installing a stent in a vessel utilizes a single balloon catheter for both low pressure predilation at a relatively small diameter to open the lesion sufficiently to allow insertion and deployment of the stent across the lesion and for subsequent high pressure embedding of the stent in the vessel wall . the same balloon catheter may also be employed to insert and deploy the stent . the balloons utilized in the method have a stepped compliance curve which allows for predilation at a low pressure and predetermined diameter and for high pressure embedding at a substantially larger diameter . the balloons may be provided with a configuration in which only a portion of the balloon has a stepped compliance curve while a further portion has a generally linear compliance profile . with such balloons high pressure treatment of the vessel wall areas not reinforced by the stent can be avoided despite the occurence of longitudinal shrinkage of the stent during expansion thereof .