Hemodynamic Performance of a New Punched Stent Strut: A Numerical Study

Local flow disturbance by arterial stent struts has been shown to play an important role in stent thrombosis. To reduce the local flow disturbance near a stent strut, we proposed a new concept of stent design with small holes in the stent struts. The present study evaluated the new design numerically by comparing it with the traditional stent in terms of local hemodynamic parameters such as flow velocity, flow recirculation area, time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS), oscillating shear index (OSI), and relative residence time (RRT). The results demonstrated that when compared with the traditional strut, the new design could significantly enhance flow velocity and reduce the flow recirculation zone in the vicinity of the strut. Moreover, the new design would significantly elevate TAWSS and remarkably reduce OSI and RRT along the host arterial wall. In conclusion, the new design of stent struts with punched holes is advantageous over the traditional one in the aspect of improving local hemodynamics, which may reduce thrombosis formation and promote re-endothelialization after stenting.