Design, 3D Printing, and Mechanical Assessment of Bioresorbable Vascular Stents

ABSTRACT

Vascular stents are crucial medical devices to treat thrombosis and aneurysms. Traditional stent manufacturing methods often struggle to achieve an optimal balance among precision, processability, and mechanical properties. In this context, melt electrowriting (MEW), an advanced high‐precision additive manufacturing technology, is employed to 3D print vascular stents. Specifically, bioresorbable poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) polymer is used to print three distinct structures (closed‐cell, open‐cell, and N‐shape). A two‐step drying process is conducted to remove most bonded and free water before printing. The printed stents demonstrate high‐resolution fiber deposition and precise structural control, guided by an independently developed graphical user interface. Tensile testing reveals that the N‐shape stent exhibits superior extensibility, achieving elongation at break of 150%, with tensile strength comparable to the closed‐cell stent at 0.02 cN/dtex. Cyclic compression tests indicate that the N‐shape stent has reduced initial stiffness and dissipates less energy per cycle than the closed‐cell counterpart, suggesting enhanced compliance and elastic recovery. Finite element analysis corroborates that the N‐shape bridges actively deform, redistributing stress and delaying local failure. These findings highlight MEW's capability to produce high‐resolution, customizable vascular stents with adaptable structures, while elucidating the relationships between structure and mechanical performance.