RESUMO
Testing of medical devices such as vascular stents generally require animal clinical studies to be conducted prior to approval for use in humans. In the recent years, several studies have shown that mock vessels serve as good alternatives or adjuncts to animal studies, having the ability to replicate some anatomical and physiological conditions [1,2]. Testing the medical device utilizing mock arteries is less time consuming and more cost effective than animal studies and is often able to predict clinical failures. Testing standards recommend that stents be tested under physiologically-relevant conditions of pulsating load. Under the pulsating load, characteristics of mock arteries play a very important role in the behavior of the stent. Distension of the mock artery controls the load applied on the stent and the shape of the mock artery ensures uniform loading of the stent [3]. The research described in this study is an effort towards determining the role played by the shape of the mock artery on distension of the stent. More specifically, does a molded curved vessel apply more uniform or less uniform loading to the stent than a straight vessel that was bent after fabrication and stent deployment?
