Computational Assessment of Coronary Stent Performance: Structural and Hemodynamic Analysis

ALEX CAVALCANTE DE FIGUEIREDO1, Ronny Calixto Carbonari2, Sônia Maria Malmonge3, Joao Lameu4
1UFABC, 2Federal University of ABC, 3Universidade Federal do ABC, 4UFABC, CECS


Abstract

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading global cause of mortality, often treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent implantation. The long-term efficacy of this treatment is compromised by risks of in-stent restenosis and thrombosis, which are critically influenced by the stent's mechanical interaction with the artery and the subsequent hemodynamic environment. This study presents an integrated computational methodology to evaluate coronary stent performance by combining structural Finite Element Analysis (FEA) with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). A parameterized model of a Nitinol stent, artery, and balloon was generated automatically using a custom Matlab algorithm. The FEA, solved in Abaqus, simulated the stent's crimping, expansion via an ideal balloon, and subsequent elastic recoil, incorporating large deformations, material nonlinearity, and friction. Results identified stress concentrations in the stent struts and arterial wall. The deformed geometry was then used for hemodynamic analysis, which revealed that the stent-induced flow disturbances created pro-atherogenic micro-environments characterized by low time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS < 0.4 Pa), high oscillatory shear index (OSI > 0.25), and elevated relative residence time (RRT > 5 Pa⁻¹). This integrated approach provides a robust foundation for a systematic stent design tool, with the ultimate goal of optimizing stent geometry to minimize mechanical and hemodynamic risks and improve patient outcomes.