Four modules, one procedure
From ischaemia and pre-dilation to deployment and optimisation—one module per step, each in stages you can scrub to any moment.
Principles·Medical devices
Medical Device Principle Animation:Coronary Stent Intervention Lab
Devices have to be explained to physicians, regulators and distributors—but how they work inside the body is invisible: how the wire crosses, how far the balloon opens, whether the stent is fully expanded and apposed. This lab draws a coronary stent procedure in code, from ischaemia to wiring, pre-dilation, deployment and post-dilation, in four steps.
Pressure drop and flow across the lesion are computed from haemodynamic equations, FFR from the pressure-wire reading, and balloon and stent diameters from compliance charts and plaque resistance. Drag the stenosis or deployment pressure, or skip post-dilation, and the drawing, cross-section and curves respond. Your own device and technique can be made the same way—as video, GIFs or a web demo.
ForInterventional, imaging, surgical-robot and IVD companies
CORONARY INTERVENTION LAB
Coronary stent interventionStenosis, dilation, deployment and apposition
LAD reference 3.5 mm · lesion 12 mm · stent 3.5 × 18 mm · nominal 10 atm · RBP 16 atm
EXPERIMENT 01EXPERIMENT 02EXPERIMENT 03EXPERIMENT 04
Plaque narrows the artery; under stress the muscle starves
Wire across, a small balloon opens the way
Balloon pressure expands the crimped stent
Post-dilation seats the stent; flow is restored
At restHyperaemiaMeasure FFRWire crossesBalloon in placePre-dilateStent in placeInflateDeflatePost-dilationIntravascular imagingRe-measure FFRFlow normalIschaemiaStent malapposedStent well apposed
PlaqueSlow flowHigh-speed jetIschaemic muscle
GuidewireBalloonPlaque
StentBalloonPlaqueMalapposition gap
StentNon-compliant balloonMalapposition gapPost-procedure pressure
Eccentric plaque: cap, lipid core, calciumProximal LAD stenosisHigh-speed jet past the narrowingPressure-wire sensor reads distal pressureLAD territory ischaemicTerritory well perfusedGuidewire crosses, the rail for everything else2.5 mm pre-dilation balloonPlaque compressed and crackedPartial recoil after deflationInflation device readingStent crimped on the balloonStruts open ring by ringHigher pressure, larger diameterProximal struts not touching the wallStruts touch the wall all alongWithout post-dilation the gap remainsNon-compliant balloon at 18 atmCross-section: blood between struts and wallCross-section: every strut on the wallWire pulled back, pressure read point by point
Hyperaemia (FFR)At restIschaemia cut-off 0.80ReferenceBeforeNarrowestBench complianceIn the lesionRBPNominalVessel referenceBeforeAfter
↑ Pd / PaDiameter (mm)Stent diameter (mm)Pd / PaDiameter stenosis (%)From proximal end (mm)Inflation pressure (atm)From proximal end (mm) →
MicrocirculationCurrent lesionOperating pointBefore PCI
↑ Pressure drop ΔP (mmHg)Coronary flow (mL/min) →
0%
What to watch
At rest the circulation compensates and nothing looks wrong. Once the microvessels are fully dilated (as during exercise), blood jets through the narrowing, energy is lost and distal pressure drops. An FFR below 0.80 on the pressure wire means the lesion causes ischaemia.
The guidewire is the rail everything else follows. A 2.5 mm balloon at 8 atm cracks and compresses the plaque to make room for the stent; after deflation the vessel recoils part-way, which is why a stent is needed.
The stent rides crimped on the balloon; under pressure the mesh opens ring by ring. Plaque pushes back, so the real diameter is below the bench compliance chart, and it recoils about 3% on deflation. The vessel tapers, so at low pressure the proximal end may not touch the wall.
A non-compliant balloon at high pressure fully expands the stent and seats the proximal edge. The intravascular cross-section shows whether every strut touches the wall; the repeat FFR pullback no longer shows a step. Try skipping post-dilation to compare. Mild diffuse disease elsewhere keeps the post-procedure FFR around 0.92 rather than 1.
01ABOUT THIS LAB
What’s in this lab
Long view plus cross-section
The longitudinal view shows how devices move, the cross-section shows strut apposition, and an inset marks the lesion on the heart.
Drag parameters, see results
Stenosis, deployment pressure and post-dilation are adjustable; FFR, flow, stent diameter and apposition gap are computed live.
One build, many formats
The same lab records as 4K procedure video, splits into step GIFs, or runs on your website, a congress booth or in physician training.
02WHO USES IT
How medical devices clients use principle animation
Interventional, imaging, surgical-robot and IVD companies
How products work, procedure steps, physician training, registration and tenders
03MORE
Principle labs for other industries
Aerospace & automotive
Turbofan engine
Where thrust comes from
Agriculture & foodLighting and CO₂ in a plant factory
How to grow lettuce faster
Chemicals & materialsMultitubular fixed-bed reactor
Hot spot, pellets and coking
Construction & engineeringPrestressed concrete box girder
Loading, tensioning and cracking
Education & publishingKepler’s three laws
Planetary motion solved from Kepler’s equation
Energy & powerPumped storage plant
Peak shaving and valley filling
Environment & waterAAO wastewater treatment
Nitrogen and phosphorus removal
Geoscience, weather & disasterTyphoon structure and landfall
From warm-sea genesis to decay over land
Government science & industrySponge city
Storm, infiltration and storage
Hospitals & health educationOne heartbeat
Electricity, valves and blood flow
Patents, legal & investmentPlanetary gear reducer
Patent figures, ratios and claim chart
Science centers & museumsBlack holes and gravitational lensing
How a black hole bends light and spacetime
New energy & batteriesStorage battery module
Heat, cooling and thermal runaway
Pharma & biotechAntibody–drug conjugate (ADC)
Structure, targeting, release and killing
Universities & research institutesScanning tunnelling microscope
Tunnelling, feedback and atomic imaging
Semiconductors & electronicsChip lithography and etch
Five steps to one circuit layer
Telecom & computing5G massive MIMO
One antenna array, many users at once
AllAll principle animations
13 step-by-step animations and uses across 18 client types
Don’t see your need? Message us
Listed here is what we’ve done and what people ask most. For other industries or uses, add us on WeChat and send a one-line brief—we’ll reply with an approach and quote within 1–2 working days.
Page updated 2026-10-24