Numerical investigation on arterial stress and displacement pattern in the vicinity of stent crown in a coronary stent

Introduction: Coronary stents are metallic tubular mesh like structure used to maintain patency of clogged coronary artery. When inflated using an external inflating device, these implants provide passage for free flow of oxygenated blood to heart muscles. One of the factor influencing the effectiveness of these devices is its geometrical structure, particularly the placement of links between stent crowns. Methods: In this numerical investigation, two commercially available stents are realistically modelled and idealized geometries are used for investigating the effects of link placement on stress distribution and displacement pattern. Results: Results suggest that non-connected stent crowns are prone to open up, resulting in high stress gradient and non-uniform displacement pattern on artery. Investigation on modified design demonstrates that stress and displacement pattern is greatly improved upon proper placement of links between stent cells. Conclusion: The investigation emphasizes the idea of having closed cell stent design for favourable stress and displacement pattern on arterial surface and better bending capabilities.