Drug-eluting coronary stents in stenosed arteries: medical investigation and computational modelling

总体目标是开发一种模拟方法，该方法能够在众多可用支架材料成分和支架几何形状中早期选择适当的候选物。材料建模和有限元技术的多层聚合物/金属复合材料以及血管壁和支架内再狭窄将设计沿着与血流和药物运输模拟。然后，涵盖血栓形成、内皮细胞粘附以及平滑肌细胞迁移的生理模型开发将伴随着通过分析致动脉粥样硬化大鼠中支架内再狭窄发展对计算的血管和支架行为预测的体外和体内表征和验证。将检查不同的支架平台，包括临床使用的支架和具有可调节几何结构和材料组成的探索性支架原型。这些努力最终将A）引导支架性能优化，以减少支架内血栓形成和再狭窄，以及B）有助于在指南和立法中关注动物福利“3R概念”，以细化、减少和替代动物实验。该项目关键依赖于心脏病学（CARD）、固体力学（IFAM）和流体力学（CATS）这三个学科富有成效的相互作用。

The overarching goal is to develop a simulation methodology that enables the early-stage selection of appropriate candidates among the multitude of available stent material compositions and stent geometries. Material modelling and finite element technologies for multi-layered polymer/metal composites as well as vessel wall and in-stent restenosis will be devised along with blood flow and drug transport simulation. Then, physiological model development covering thrombosis, endothelial cell adhesion as well as smooth muscle cell migration will be accompanied by in vitro and in vivo characterization and validation of computed vessel and stent behaviour predictions by analysis of in-stent restenosis development in atherogenic rats. Different stent platforms, both clinically used stents and exploratory stent prototypes with adjustable geometry and material composition will be examined. These efforts ultimately will A) guide stent property optimization apt to reduce in-stent thrombosis and restenosis and B) contribute to the animal welfare "3R-concept" focus in guidelines and legislature towards Refinement, Reduction and Replacement of animal experiments.The project crucially relies on the fruitful interplay of the three disciplines cardiology (CARD), solid mechanics (IFAM) and fluid mechanics (CATS).