A Computational Framework to Model Degradation of Biocorrodible Metal Stents Using an Implicit Finite Element Solver

• Published in: Annals of biomedical engineering Vol. 44; no. 2; pp. 382 - 390
• Main Authors: Debusschere, Nic, Segers, Patrick, Dubruel, Peter, Verhegghe, Benedict, De Beule, Matthieu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-02-2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biochemistry; Biodegradability; Biodegradation; Biological and Medical Physics; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering; Biomedicine; Biophysics; Classical Mechanics; Computer Simulation; Corrosion; Degradation; Finite Element Analysis; Finite element method; Humans; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Medical Stents: State of the Art and Future Directions; Models, Theoretical; Stents; Surgical implants; Thromboembolism; Biodegradable metal stents; Finite element modelling; Continuum damage mechanics
• ISSN: 0090-6964; 1573-9686
• DOI: 10.1007/s10439-015-1530-1

Bioresorbable stents represent an emerging technological development within the field of cardiovascular angioplasty. Their temporary presence avoids long-term side effects of non-degradable stents such as in-stent restenosis, late stent thrombosis and fatigue induced strut fracture. Several numerical modelling strategies have been proposed to evaluate the transitional mechanical characteristics of biodegradable stents using a continuum damage framework. However, these methods rely on an explicit finite-element integration scheme which, in combination with the quasi-static nature of many simulations involving stents and the small element size needed to model corrosion mechanisms, results in a high computational cost. To reduce the simulation times and to expand the general applicability of these degradation models, this paper investigates an implicit finite element solution method to model degradation of biodegradable stents.