A Research on Nitinol Alloy Material Fatigue Behavior Analysis of Cardiovascular Stent in Medical Engineering

Abstract

Biocompatible cardiovascular stents are small cylindrical support structures introduced into the stenosed arteries to reopen the lumen and to restore blood flow in treating heart disease, which have revolutionized interventional cardiology. Cardiovascular stent designers are confronted with two basic requirements, such as an 'infinite" life and the "thinnest" Wires. Pulsatile pressure, repetitive mechanical forces, Within the coronary artery may result in stent fatigue and fracture after stent implantation, particularly in patients with complex coronary disease. This research describes the simulation analysis of cardiovascular stents, to provide designers with estimates of their in vivo structural behavior and fatigue properties. Stent material failure or device fatigue remains major concern for stent manufactures and researchers. The objective of this research was to simulate the mechanical behavior of the stent using finite element method. A finite element analysis (FEA) of cardiovascular stent under fatigue cyclic loading conditions is presented. Commercial software was employed to study the fatigue performance of nitinol alloy materials in new stent, systems. The effects of deployment, and static cyclic pressure loading on cardiovascular stent fatigue life were simulated and analyzed for nitinol alloy material. The investigation results displayed a significant correlation between material combinations, stent loading, and fatigue behavior.