In order to study the optimum design for mechanical properties of balloon expandable metallic stents, comparative testing of commercially available stents was performed. The bending flexibility and the longitudinal integrity were investigated by a four-point bending test, uniaxial tensile and uniaxial compression tests, by means of developed test apparatuses and procedures. The test results revealed the practical ranges of the bending flexibility and the longitudinal integrity based on clinical experiences. The relation between the bending flexibility and the longitudinal integrity was discussed with regard to the design parameters including the number of connecters and the number of cells in longitudinal and in circumference of stents.
