Pulsation-based smart endovascular devices used in cardiac intervention

Thrombosis-related complications in small arteries, including coronary, cerebral, and peripheral vessels, remain a major clinical concern, particularly in patients receiving vascular implants. Despite advances in drug-eluting stents (DES), the risk of late-stage thrombosis persists, often leading to severe outcomes such as myocardial infarction, stroke, or pulmonary embolism. To overcome this challenge, this study investigates an in-situ surface treatment system that actively leverages arterial pulsation to alter the surface properties of endovascular devices. Utilizing piezoelectric materials, this system continuously generates a negative surface charge in response to arterial motion, effectively repelling platelet adhesion without requiring passive coatings or external power sources. A compact piezoelectric unit was integrated into a coronary artery stent and subjected to pulsatile blood flow to evaluate its hemocompatibility under physiological conditions, considering both circumferential and radial deformations typical of vascular implants. The capability of this system to produce platelet-repelling voltages through continuous energy harvesting presents a promising strategy for minimizing thrombogenic risks in endovascular devices. By eliminating the need for battery-powered components or drug-based coatings, this technology offers a self-sustaining and long-term solution for enhancing the biocompatibility and functional longevity of vascular implants. Ultimately, this approach has the potential to improve the safety and clinical performance of cardiovascular interventions.