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Investigating Balloon-Vessel Contact Pressure Patterns in Angioplasty: In Silico Insights for Drug-Coated Balloons
Efstathios Stratakos1, Luca Antonini1, Gianluca Poletti1
1Laboratory of Biological Structure Mechanics, Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta", Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy.
Annals of Biomedical Engineering
|September 26, 2023
Summary
Drug-Coated Balloons show uneven drug transfer due to inconsistent contact pressure. This study reveals how balloon design and vessel properties influence contact pressure distribution, crucial for improving treatment uniformity.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Medical Devices
- Computational Fluid Dynamics
Background:
- Drug-Coated Balloons (DCBs) offer a minimally invasive treatment for stenotic arteries.
- Limited and non-uniform drug transfer from DCBs to the arterial lumen has been observed in animal studies.
- In vitro data suggests a correlation between local coating transfer and local Contact Pressure (CP) between the balloon and endothelium.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the in silico effects of interventional and device parameters on the spatial distribution of Contact Pressure (CP).
- To analyze CP during angioplasty balloon inflation in idealized femoral arteries.
- To identify factors contributing to non-uniform CP and its impact on drug transfer.
Main Methods:
- Development of a computational model for an angioplasty balloon, incorporating non-uniform wall thickness and folding.
- Sensitivity finite element analyses were performed to assess various parameters.
- Investigated parameters included balloon length, wall thickness variation, friction coefficient, vessel properties (stiffness, thickness), and balloon-to-vessel diameter ratio.
Main Results:
- Significant irregularity in balloon-vessel contact was observed, primarily influenced by balloon unfolding and longitudinal thickness variations.
- Interfacial CP distribution mirrored animal study findings, peaking centrally and showing circumferential linear patterns.
- Increased balloon-to-vessel diameter ratio, vessel stiffness, and thickness amplified CP distribution; higher friction exacerbated non-uniformity.
- Balloon design elements like thicker tapered sections reduced CP at extremities; total length had minimal impact.
Conclusions:
- The study provides a deeper understanding of factors causing irregular balloon-tissue contact during angioplasty.
- Identified key parameters influencing Contact Pressure (CP) distribution are crucial for optimizing DCB coating transfer.
- Findings pave the way for improving uniformity in drug-coating transfer and enhancing clinical effectiveness of DCBs.
Keywords:
Contact pressureDrug-coated balloonsDrug-coatingFinite element simulationsNon-uniformityNumericalMore Related Videos
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