Benchside testing of drug-eluting stent surface and geometry

The surface of drug-eluting stents (DES) may partly contribute to some DES-related problems and betweenDES differences in clinical performance. This article sheds light on benchside testing of DES that permits the identification, classification and quantification of various coating irregularities, both after gentle stent deployment and high-pressure postdilatation. In addition, we discuss the value of combining surface assessment with scanning electron microscopy and examinations of DES geometry with microcomputed tomography. This article gives an overview of independent benchside research on commercially available DES. Such data are generally difficult to obtain, but may help to generate theories that explain potential differences in clinical performance between DES. These benchside studies should ideally be performed by multidisciplinary research teams embedded in high-level research institutes, to ensure a prompt reaction to shifting demands, as they may soon be required considering upcoming novel DES concepts.