Performance Assessment of a Newly Designed Cardiovascular Stent Using WE43 and Zn-0.8Li-0.4Mg Biocompatible Alloys

Abstract

Cardiovascular stents play a vital role in treating narrowed arteries, where structural efficiency and biocompatibility are critical for long-term success. Material selection and design geometry significantly influence the mechanical performance of stents. Existing stent designs often suffer from limitations such as high foreshortening, dogboning, and recoiling, which can compromise deployment accuracy and arterial conformity. To address these limitations, this study explores both geometric optimization and novel biocompatible materials to enhance mechanical behaviour during stent expansion. The primary aim is to evaluate and compare a newly proposed stent design with an existing model using WE43 material, and further assess performance improvements using a Zn-0.8Li-0.4Mg alloy. The proposed WE43 stent design shows a remarkable reduction in foreshortening, dropping from 5.74% in the baseline paper considered for this study to just 0.79% at 0.05 mm thickness, significantly enhancing deployment precision. Dogboning remains well-controlled, increasing only slightly from –0.038% to 1.65% at the same thickness, while still staying within acceptable clinical limits. Recoiling improves notably at higher thicknesses dropping from 17.1% to 8.03% at 0.3 mm indicating improved radial stability. Compared to Zn–0.8Li–0.4Mg, WE43 exhibits more consistent foreshortening (~0.79–1.2%) and lower dogboning, confirming its superior mechanical performance for reliable cardiovascular deployment. The study establishes the significance of geometry and material synergy in stent design. Zn-0.8Li-0.4Mg emerges as a promising candidate for next-generation cardiovascular stents with improved deployment characteristics