Haemodynamic effects of incomplete stent apposition in curved coronary arteries

Abstract

Incomplete stent apposition (ISA, also known as malapposition) is a complication that affects day-to-day coronary stenting procedures. ISA is more prominent in complex arterial geometries, such as curvature, as a result of the limited conformability of coronary stents. These malapposed struts disturb the otherwise near-wall laminar blood flow and form a micro-recirculation environment. The micro-recirculation environment is often associated with low wall shear stress (WSS) and upsets the delicate balance of vascular biology, providing possible nidus for thrombosis and restenosis. In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) stent model was virtually deployed into an idealised curved coronary arte..