A novel technique towards investigating wall shear stress within the stent struts using particle image velocimetry.

Understanding the effects of a stent design on the flow behaviour especially near the artery wall can lead to choosing or designing more haemodynamically compatible stents that can reduce the chances of restenosis inside the stented arteries. In this study, a novel technique is presented for the visualisation of the entire flow and the investigation of wall shear stress (WSS) within the stent struts without covering the field of view (FOV) inside a stented coronary artery model using particle image velocimetry. This novel technique is based on the construction of a transparent stented artery using silicone casted in one piece, instead of inserting a metal or non-metallic stent inside a casted artery model, which are translucent and distort the FOV. The effect of the stent pattern on the WSS and oscillatory shear index of a coronary artery is investigated for the models of four stents to identify the locations with the high chances of restenosis. The developed technique will help to improve the stent designs to achieve better patient outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]