| Abstract: | Experiments are carried out to examine the dilatation properties of metallic stents. Therefore a test rig has been developed. Also the dilatation behaviour of stents out of different materials are investigated. Additionally numerical simulations of dilatation are carried out. Because balloon expandable stent systems exist of the stent and a balloon catheter, the balloon catheter is examined before the investigation of the stent systems. The results show a reproducible and similar dilatation behaviour for all stents. Titanium as a material with an advanced biocompatibility shows advantages in the dilatation behaviour against the stainless steel stents. A qualitative equality between simulation and measurement of the dilatation behaviour can be noticed. The results indicate the possibility to numerically simulate and to optimise the dilatation behaviour by a combination of simulation and measurement. The preclinical measurement can be reduced to some prototypes. |
