Abstract
The mechanical conditions created by vascular stents may play a role in restenosis. Restenosis occurs due to the accumulation of blood-borne materials and the reaction of the wall to the presence of the stent. It has been previously demonstrated [1] that the flow patterns created by the placement of a rigid stent into a compliant blood vessel are highly complex, featuring large vortex formations. It was hypothesized that the abrupt changes in compliance at the proximal and distal stent/artery junctions created pressure wave reflections that led to the vortices. The purpose of this study was to test whether a smooth transition in compliance between stented and unstented vessel would minimize pressure wave reflections and reduce the complexity of fluid flow disturbances. For this purpose, a new stent design was conceived and tested that featured compliance transition zones at the proximal and distal ends. The design is called a compliance matching stent (CMS).
