Partial CFD models of cardiovascular stents

Abstract

This paper outlines the use of a partial CFD stent model in order to improve discretisation of important small features. The effects of mesh size on the performance measure are investigated. The results are compared with those from full models and also comparisons with clinical trials are made. It is shown that partial models provide a better approximation to reality than full models when using modest PC workstation resources. The general conclusion is that computer-based design of medical devices must take into account the variations in geometry between patients by means of, for example, a flat performance curve against noise.