Measurement of the symmetry of in vitro stent expansion: a stereo-photogrammetric approach

Balloon folding affects the symmetry of stent deployment: experimental and computational evidence

The level of restenosis following coronary artery stenting may be related to the deployed stent geometry. This study investigated the influence of two balloon folding patterns (;C' and ;S' shaped) on stent deployment. In vitro stent expansion showed ;S' shape folding produced more uniform expansion than ;C' shape folding. A numerical contact model (NCM) was developed to study the detail of load transfer between balloon and stent. Finite element analysis of the Palmaz-Schatz 204C stent provided a composite non-linear material model for the NCM. Agreement between the predicted final stent geometry and experimental results was strongly dependent on the frictional coefficient between the stent and balloon. We conclude that non-uniform contact may contribute to the asymmetry of deployed stents reported clinically.

Experimental Research on Balloon-expandable Endovascular Stent Expansion

The application background and experimental research overview of medical endovascular stent are presented. Based on the analytical comparison of the current research achievements, the life cycle of medical vascular stent, which is composed of three phases of mounting, deployment and long-term in vivo service, is pointed out and the characteristics of stent expansion process in the life cycle are emphasized on. The experimental scheme of in vitro stent expansion based on the machine vision technology in LabVIEW is presented. The selected component devices and measurement program for experiment are expatiated. A special drug-loading stent was expanded on the assembled platform of selected equipments and experimental results are analyzed. The experimental scheme presented in the paper provides powerful experimental support for the computer simulation of stent expansion process by the finite element analysis.

The influence of physical stent parameters upon restenosis

In this paper we examine whether the structure, geometry and dimensions of coronary stents influence the occurrence of restenosis. Whilst many consider these parameters to be less important since the advent of drug-eluting stents, this view reveals a poor appreciation of the technological development of stents over the last 18 years. Early 'slotted tube' stents were completely inflexible and posed major problems for delivery; and early 'coil' stents had poor radial strength, allowing considerable tissue prolapse. Nowadays, we are used to greatly improved physical stent parameters, which provide better deliverability, visibility, procedural success and scaffolding performance. Many of these physical parameters also impact upon restenosis, even in the current era of drug-eluting stent. In this paper we examine the contribution of mode of expansion (self vs. balloon-expandable), design (coil vs. tube), length and width to restenosis. We also consider the more subtle influence of advanced slotted tube vs. modular design, percent metal coverage, strut thickness, strut shape, surface smoothness and alloy composition.