Development of asymmetric stent for treatment of eccentric plaque.

The selection of stent and balloon type is decisive in the stenting process. In the treatment of an eccentric plaque obstruction, a symmetric expansion from stent dilatation generates nonuniform stress distribution, which may aggravate fibrous cap prone to rupture. This paper developed a new stent design to treat eccentric plaque using structural transient dynamic analysis in ANSYS. A non-symmetric structural geometry of stent is generated to obtain reasonable stress distribution safe for the arterial layer surrounding the stent. To derive the novel structural geometry, a Sinusoidal stent type is modified by varying struts length and width, adding bridges, and varying curvature width of struts. An end ring of stent struts was also modified to eliminate dogboning phenomenon and to reduce the Ectropion angle. Two balloon types were used to deploy the stent, an ordinary cylindrical and offset balloon. Positive modification results were used to construct the final non-symmetric stent design, called an Asymmetric stent. Analyses of the deformation characteristics, changes in surface roughness and induced stresses within intact arterial layer were subsequently examined. Interaction between the stent and vessel wall was implemented by means of changes in surface roughness and stress distribution analyses. The Palmaz and the Sinusoidal stent were used for a comparative study. This study indicated that the Asymmetric stent types reduced the central radial recoiling and the dogboning phenomenon. In terms of changes in surface roughness and induced stresses, the Asymmetric stent has a comparable effect with that of the Sinusoidal stent. In addition, it could enhance the distribution of surface roughening as expanded by an offset balloon.