Experimental Analysis of Catheter Push–Pull Forces: Effects of Vascular Curvature, Motion Speed, and Lumen Material

During catheter interventional procedures, the catheter inevitably encounters the vessel wall. When the push–pull force at the catheter–vessel wall interface exceeds a certain threshold, it may cause vascular damage. The mechanical feedback at the catheter–blood interface are still areas that urgently need to be addressed. This study provides essential experimental data and mechanical feedback to inform and validate such simulations. Therefore, this article first analyzed the movement form and mechanical state of the catheter and blood vessel during vascular interventional surgery. Based on this, this paper analyzes the movement forms and mechanical states of the catheter and blood vessels during intervention, focusing on the contact force between the catheter and blood vessels. The results of the three-point bending test indicate that the bending deformation force of the tube increases as the radius decreases, and the overall deformation progresses from elastic deformation to the yield limit. The normal force of the tube on the lumen and the average push–pull force at the end of the tube are all positively correlated with the moving speed and bending degree of the tube. Statistical analysis revealed that the degree of lumen curvature had a significantly greater influence on the push–pull force than catheter motion speed. The above research provides guidance for friction at the medical device–vessel interface and coating design.