A method for fabricating a stent comprising: radially deforming a polymer tube (301) for use in fabrication of a stent from the deformed tube, wherein the radial deformation propagates along the tube axis as the tube is heated (330) along the axis, the polymer tube having an internal tube pressure (325) higher than ambient controlling the deformation temperature to provide a selected fracture toughness to a stent fabricated from the tube wherein the temperature is controlled to provide a morphology of the deformed polymer tube comprising an amorphous matrix including dispersed crystalline regions and wherein the crystalline regions have a size less than about 15 micrometers and fabricating the stent from the deformed tube.
