Clinical　application　of　bare　metal　stents　is　constrained　by　the　occurrence　of　instent　restenosis,　mainly　due　to　the　complex　biomechanical　environment　in　the　body.　Numerical　simulation　method　was　used　to　evaluate　the　effect　of　plaque　composition　on　stent　performance　in　a　carotid　artery.　CT　angiography　(CTA)　data　were　used　as　a　reference,　and　zero-load　state　of　the　carotid　artery　was　used　to　establish　a　3D　stenotic　artery　model.　Different　plaque　compositions,　calcified　and　hypo-cellular　were　defined　in　Model　1　and　Model　2,　respectively.　Interactions　between　the　stents　and　arterial　tissues　within　the　stent　crimping-expansion　process　were　analyzed　to　explore　the　effects　of　plaque　composition　on　the　mechanical　parameters　of　carotid　stents.　Goodman　diagram　and　fatigue　safety　factor　(FSF)　were　analyzed　to　explore　the　effects　of　plaque　composition　on　fatigue　performance　of　a　carotid　stent　in　the　stent　service　process.　In　the　stent　crimping-expansion　process,　the　von　Mises　stress　in　the　stent　and　the　dog-boning　ratio　in　Model　1　were　higher　than　that　in　Model　2.　The　calcified　plaque　prevented　the　stent　from　expanding　the　stenotic　vessel　to　a　pre-set　diameter.　Thus,　the　risk　of　rupture　in　the　calcified　plaque　was　higher　than　that　in　the　hypo-cellular　plaque.　Plaque　also　affected　the　stress/strain　in　the　vessel　wall,　which　was　observed　to　be　lower　in　Model　1　than　in　Model　2.　This　indicated　that　calcified　plaque　could　decrease　the　stress-induced　injury　of　arterial　tissues.　Within　the　stent　service　process,　the　stents　used　in　these　two　models　were　predicted　to　not　fail　under　fatigue　rupture　as　calculated　by　the　Goodman　diagram.　Additionally,　the　points　closer　to　the　fatigue　limit　were　generally　observed　at　the　inner　bend　of　the　stent　crowns.　The　FSF　of　the　stent　in　Model　1　was　lower　than　that　in　Model　2.　The　stent　operating　in　the　presence　of　calcified　plaques　suffered　high　risk　of　fractures.　Reliability　and　fatigue　performance　of　the　stent　were　found　to　be　associated　with　plaque　composition.　Hence,　this　study　may　provide　stent　designers　an　approach　toward　enhancing　the　mechanical　reliability　of　a　stent.