Endovascular stents, crucial in treating vascular conditions, come in various designs, with slotted tube and woven configurations being two prominent types. A slotted tube stent is typically manufactured from a single piece of nitinol tubing. Precise cuts, or slots, are laser-etched into the tube, creating a defined pattern. This pattern allows the stent to expand radially and conform to the vessel wall. A woven stent, conversely, is constructed by braiding multiple nitinol wires together. The interwoven structure forms a mesh-like cylinder capable of radial expansion.
The choice between these stent designs often depends on the specific clinical application. Slotted tube stents are often favored for their greater radial force, which provides strong support to the vessel and resists collapse. Woven stents, due to their flexible nature, may be preferred in tortuous or highly curved vessels. The decision must also consider factors like fracture resistance and conformability to the vessel wall. The evolution of stent technology reflects a continuous effort to optimize these characteristics for improved patient outcomes in treating conditions like arterial stenosis and aneurysms.
