Characterizing the Mechanical Performance of a Bare-Metal Stent with an Auxetic Cell Geometry

• Published in: Applied sciences Vol. 12; no. 2; p. 910
• Main Authors: Bhullar, Sukhwinder K., Lekesiz, Huseyin, Karaca, Ahmet Abdullah, Cho, Yonghyun, Willerth, Stephanie Michelle, Jun, Martin B. G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01-01-2022
• Subjects: Angioplasty; Atherosclerosis; bending; Blood flow; Blood vessels; Buckling; Cardiovascular disease; Coronary vessels; Design; Finite element method; Geometry; Heart attacks; Implants; Lasers; longitudinal flexibility longitudinal/lateral compressive resistance; mechanical behavior; mechanical loadings; Mechanical properties; Optimization; Polymers; radial strength; Stainless steel; stent design; Stents; Vein & artery diseases; Canada; United States > US
• ISSN: 2076-3417; 2076-3417
• DOI: 10.3390/app12020910

This study develops and characterizes the distinctive mechanical features of a stainless-steel metal stent with a tailored structure. A high-precision femtosecond laser was used to micromachine a stent with re-entrant hexagonal (auxetic) cell geometry. We then characterized its mechanical behavior under various mechanical loadings using in vitro experiments and through finite element analysis. The stent properties, such as the higher capability of the stent to bear upon bending, exceptional advantage at elevated levels of twisting angles, and proper buckling, all ensured a preserved opening to maintain the blood flow. The outcomes of this preliminary study present a potential design for a stent with improved physiologically relevant mechanical conditions such as longitudinal contraction, radial strength, and migration of the stent.