Investigation of 3D Printed Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold Crimping Behavior

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Engineering
• Medical Device Design
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Additive manufacturing (AM) provides opportunities for 3D-printed polymeric vascular scaffolds with enhanced features like customization and drug delivery.
• Bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS) require crimping for minimally invasive surgery, a process that subjects them to significant deformation.
• Understanding scaffold behavior during crimping is crucial for preventing failure and assessing radial strength for post-implant performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a time-efficient analysis tool for evaluating the crimping performance of 3D-printed polymeric vascular scaffolds.
• To facilitate informed scaffold design by providing a rapid method for comparing BVS performance trends during the crimping process.

Main Methods:

• Finite element analysis (FEA) simulations were performed using ABAQUS software.
• Experimentally obtained bulk material properties of the polymers were utilized in the simulations.
• A qualitative analysis tool was developed to compare the relative performance of different BVS designs during crimping.

Main Results:

• The simulation tool accurately predicts relative performance trends of BVS designs during crimping.
• The developed tool significantly reduces the time cost compared to experimental testing.
• The findings support the integration of informed design into the AM workflow for vascular scaffolds.

Conclusions:

• The simulation tool offers a rapid and effective method for assessing BVS crimping performance.
• This approach aids in optimizing the design of 3D-printed vascular scaffolds for improved clinical outcomes.
• The study highlights the potential of simulation-driven design in accelerating the development of advanced medical devices.