Chapter 1 Introduction for Cardiovascuiar Disease and Stent 1
1.1 Coronary artery disease 1
1.2 What is a stent? 3
1.3 Aim and objectives 4
Chapter 2 Review for Stent Technology 7
2.1 Development of stents 7
2.1.1 Bare metal stents (BMSs) 7
2.1.2 Drug-eluting stents(DESs) 8
2.1.3 Bioresorbable stents(BRSs) 14
2.1.4 Conclusion 18
2.2 Materials for bioresorbable stents 19
2.2.1 Corrodible metallic alloys 19
2.2.2 Biodegradable polymers 21
2.2.3 Conclusion 30
2.3 Arteries and atherosclerotic plaques 31
2.3.1 Histological structures 31
2.3.2 Mechanical behaviour 34
2.3.3 Conclusion 40
2.4 Experimental studies on stents 40
2.4.1 Mechanical behaviour studies 40
2.4.2 Degradation behaviour studies 50
2.4.3 In vivo efficacy studies of polymeric stents 53
2.4.4 Conclusion 54
2.5 Computational work 54
2.5.1 Stent expansion modelling 55
2.5.2 Effects of stent designs 60
2.5.3 Methods for modelling stent expansion 64
2.5.4 Modelling of stent fatigue behaviour 66
2.5.5 Stent degradation modelling 68
2.5.6 Conclusion 70
2.6 Research gaps 71
2.7 Conclusions 72
Chapter 3 Methodology for Finite Element Simulation 74
3.1 Finite element models 74
3.1.1 Stent models 74
3.1.2 Tri-folded balloon model 77
3.1.3 Three-layered artery and plaque model 78
3.2 Material constitutive models 79
3.2.1 Constitutive models for stent and balloon 79
3.2.2 Constitutive models for plaque and artery 79
3.3 Finite element simulation setup 83
3.3.1 Simulation procedures 83
3.3.2 Post-processing of simulation results 85
3.4 Mesh sensitivity study 86
3.4.1 Stent mesh sensitivity 86
3.4.2 Plaque-artery mesh sensitivity 89
3.5 Conclusions 91
Chapter 4 Finite Element Modelling of Crimping and Expansion of Bioresorbable Polymeric Stents 93
4.1 Introduction 93
4.2 Methodology 96
4.2.1 Finite element models and material models 96
4.2.2 Stent crimping procedure 96
4.2.3 Stent expansion procedure 97
4.2.4 Evaluation of the radial stiffness and strength for stent 98
4.3 Results and discussions 99
4.3.1 Stent crimping 99
4.3.2 Stent expansion 102
4.3.3 Residual stresses caused by crimping 106
4.3.4 Radial stiffness and strength 108
4.4 Conclusions 111
Chapter 5 Deployment of Bioresorbable Polymeric Stents in Stenotic Artery 113
5.1 Introduction 113
5.2 Methodology 115
5.2.1 Finite element models and material constitutive models 115
5.2.2 Crimping and expansion of stent in plaque-artery 116
5.3 Results 117
5.3.1 Stent expansion 117
5.3.2 Stress variation on the plaque/artery 120
5.3.3 Residual stress caused by crimping 124
5.4 Discussions 129
5.5 Conclusions 131
Chapter 6 Fatigue Behaviour of Bioresorbable Polymeric Stent 132
6.1 Introduction 132
6.2 Methodology 134
6.2.1 FE models and constitutive models for stent and artery 134
6.2.2 Simulation setup 134
6.3 Results 136
6.3.1 Stress/strain analysis 136
6.3.2 Fatigue analysis 140
6.4 Discussions 142
6.5 Conclusions 144
Chapter 7 Stent-Artery Interaction During Degradation and Vessel Remodelling 145
7.1 Introduction 145
7.2 Calibration of stress-strain curves during degradation 149
7.2.1 Radial strength and stiffness of stent 149
7.2.2 Calibration of stress-strain curves for PLLA during the degradation 152
7.3 Modelling of stent-artery interaction during degradation 153
7.4 Modelling of stent-artery interaction during vessel remodelling 155
7.5 Results 156
7.5.1 PLLA stress-strain behaviour over degradation 156
7.5.2 Stress variation on the stent over degradation 158
7.5.3 Stress variation in the plaque-artery system over degradation 160
7.5.4 Effects of vessel remodelling 165
7.6 Discussions 168
7.7 Conclusions 170
Chapter 8 Poly (Lactic-Acid) and Poly (Butylene Succinate) Blends for Stent Application-Testing and Modelling 171
8.1 Introduction 171
8.2 Methodology 174
8.2.1 Raw materials 174
8.2.2 Preparation of PLA/PBS blends and specimens 175
8.2.3 Characterization of PLA/PBS blends 176
8.2.4 Mechanical testing 177
8.2.5 Finite element modelling 177
8.3 Results and Discussions 177
8.3.1 DSC analysis 177
8.3.2 Optical microscopy analysis 180
8.3.3 Mechanical properties of PLA/PBS blends 181
8.3.4 Rate dependent behaviour 185
8.3.5 Effect of loading rate on stent behaviour 185
8.4 Conclusions 192
Chapter 9 Conclusions and Further Work 193
9.1 General conclusions 193
9.2 Summary of key achievements 197
9.3 Further work 198
9.3.1 Experimental work 198
9.3.2 Modelling work 199
References 200