Computational Material Analysis of Structural and Hemodynamic Model of Coronary Stent by CFD/FEA in Computer Aided Mechanical Engineering Approach

Abstract

With the development of new technologies, it is very popular to use a coronary stent that is a small mesh tube-shaped medical device deployed to treat narrow or weak arteries as part of a procedure called percutaneous coronary intervention. Several aspects, such as stent design, stent wire type, mechanical and material characteristics of stent have different influences on stent intervention. It has not been reported about what impacts on stent struts by the hemodynamic behavior on stent material and very few numerical studies have considered both the mechanical and hemodynamic impact of stent implementation. Computational simulation method for realization of realistic structural and hemodynamic micro environment model in this research provided valuable results of long-term functional knowledge of stent material behavior that are time consuming and expensive to determine otherwise. Computational fluid dynamics and finite element analysis simulation models were investigated and developed to evaluate engineering properties that affect stent functional attributes. These characteristics are dependences of material properties on blood flow conditions such as structural load, shear-strain rate, radial strength, and wall shear stresses, which need to be scientifically explored. To understand the material (Fe-18Cr-14Ni-2.5Mo as stainless steel 316LVM) mechanical performance of the stent, a finite element analysis simulation model was established when exposed to pulsatile blood pressure. In this study, computational fluid dynamics model was generated to calculate the wall shear stresses and strain distribution in stented vessel carrying blood to heart. The analytical analysis of mechanical and hemodynamic conduct of a stent in this investigation may help for better designs of stent, and provide deeper comprehension to support clinical cardiovascular surgeons and guide potential therapeutic strategies.