A novel electrical potential sensing method for in vitro stent fracture monitoring and detection

作者：Park Chan Hee; Tijing Leonard D; Yun Yeoheung; Kim Cheol Sang^*

来源：Bio-medical Materials and Engineering, 2011, 21(4): 213-222.

DOI：10.3233/BME-2011-0670

• Electrical potential
• stent fracture
• fatigue and durability test
• vascular stent
• Nitinol
• Wheatstone bridge circuit

This article describes a preliminary investigation and prototype fabrication of a novel potential sensing method to continuously monitor vascular stent fractures. A potential measurement system consisting of Wheatstone bridge circuit and signal conditioning circuit was designed for the cardiovascular stent durability and fatigue test. Each end of a bare and polyurethane-covered Nitinol vascular stent was electrically connected to the potential measurement system and then immersed either in simulated body fluid (SBF) media or distilled water at 36.4 +/- 1 degrees C. When the stent experienced fracture (i.e., a cut), its electrical potential decreased with an increase in electrical resistance. This method successfully measured fractures in the stent regardless of location. Furthermore, the number of cycles at the onset of stent fracture was accurately detected and continuously monitored using this technique. Thus, the present fracture detection method, which to our knowledge is the first ever report to use electrical potential measurement for stent durability test, gives a fast, real-time, accurate and efficient detection of fractures in stent during in vitro fatigue and durability test.

• 出版日期2011