title: A Computational Framework to Model Degradation of Biocorrodible Metal Stents Using an Implicit Finite Element Solver.
abstract: Bioresorbable stents represent an emerging technological development within the field of cardiovascular angioplasty. Their temporary presence avoids long-term side effects of non-degradable stents such as in-stent restenosis, late stent thrombosis and fatigue induced strut fracture. Several numerical modelling strategies have been proposed to evaluate the transitional mechanical characteristics of biodegradable stents using a continuum damage framework. However, these methods rely on an explicit finite-element integration scheme which, in combination with the quasi-static nature of many simulations involving stents and the small element size needed to model corrosion mechanisms, results in a high computational cost. To reduce the simulation times and to expand the general applicability of these degradation models, this paper investigates an implicit finite element solution method to model degradation of biodegradable stents.
authors.affiliation: IBiTech - bioMMeda - iMinds - Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, Ghent, Belgium. nic.debusschere@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Nic
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Debusschere
authors.affiliation: IBiTech - bioMMeda - iMinds - Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Segers
authors.affiliation: PBM - Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dubruel
authors.affiliation: IBiTech - bioMMeda - iMinds - Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Benedict
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Verhegghe
authors.affiliation: IBiTech - bioMMeda - iMinds - Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Matthieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Beule
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D003343:Corrosion; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D015607:Stents
keywords: Biodegradable metal stents; Continuum damage mechanics; Finite element modelling