Finite element analysis and fatigue of stents.
Understanding the behaviour of implantable medical devices is of obvious importance. The potential for failure of a medical device can often be associated with issues related to cyclic loading of the device, and material fatigue. Detailed finite element simulations to evaluate the fatigue of stents allow the engineer to assess potential failures. The engineer can then use the analysis results to modify the design and prevent failure, without making and testing numerous physical devices. Complete understanding of the mechanical behaviour of a stent provided by finite element analysis has the benefits of facilitating effective design, helping to reduce time to market and minimising the potential for unwanted failures.