Poly(L-lactic acid) monofilaments for biodegradable braided self-expanding stent

Although poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) is the widely used material for bioresorbable stents, publications on PLLA braided stents are still lacking. In this paper, the PLLA monofilaments were prepared via melt spinning and solid-state drawing. The total draw ratios are from 2.8 to 30.8. The properties of the monofilaments, such as crystallinity, elastic modulus, elongation at break, were characterized. Due to the relatively good mechanical properties, PLLA monofilaments with draw ratio of 16.8 were used to braid carotid stents. The curve of the radial force of the braided PLLA stent almost overlaps with that of a Carotid Wallstent with similar parameters, which indicates that the braided PLLA stent can provide adequate support to the carotid lesion.