A Pilot Study for A Bench Test of the Mechanical Properties of the Platforms for Second-generation Drug-eluting Stents (Original)

Little information is available regarding the mechanical properties of platforms for second-generation drug-eluting stents (DESs). These mechanical properties must be considered when selecting a coronary stent for treating a target lesion. Four DES platforms, i.e., the Driver TM stent, the Liberte TM stent, the Multilink Vision TM stent, and the S-Stent TM , were used to assess deformability (radial strength) in the air compression test, conformability (radius of curvature) in the radius of curvature measurement, and flexibility (load induced deflection) in the 3-point bending test. Radial strength was measured in the pressure range of 0 to 1 kg/cm 2 , where the Liberte TM and the Multilink Vision TM stents constantly showed slight decreases. In contrast, the Driver TM stent exhibited little, moderate, and marked decreases in radial strength as pressure increased in 3 stages. However, the S-Stent TM exhibited marked decreases in radial strength at all pressures. Furthermore, reductions in the radius of curvature and deflection were least with the Driver TM stent and were followed, in order of greater reduction, by those of the Liberte TM stent, the Multilink Vision TM stent, and the SStent TM . This preliminary bench test was challenging to perform but has provided basic information on the physical properties of 4 coronary stents and basic mechanical information for selecting the optimal stent for each patient. Further mechanical bench tests using new measurement instruments are required to examine how the information of each stent properties are reflected in clinical outcomes. (Jikeikai Med J 2014 ; 61 : 29-34)