In recent years, bioabsorbable stents have been attracting attention for treating ischemic heart disease by reducing the risk of restenosis. In this study, a mock circulatory test system was developed to simulate conditions in the human body’s arteries to assess the performance of bioabsorbable stents. A flexion device was featured in the system that repeatedly bends the stent, reproducing the movement of the blood vessel. A pressure generator that generates pressure fluctuation was also developed, which successfully simulated the pulsation in the blood vessel. Using the system, the time-dependent degradation behavior of a magnesium alloy bare metal stent was examined under the phosphate-buffered saline flow. Then, the effects of repeated flexion and pressure fluctuation on the degradation behavior of the stent were investigated. The results revealed that pressure fluctuation is the key factor accelerating degradation over time. It was also found that the contact conditions between the tube and the stent were crucial in controlling the degradation behavior of the material.
