On stent-graft models in thoracic aortic endovascular repair: a computational investigation of the hemodynamic factors

Comput Biol Med. 2008 Apr;38(4):484-9. doi: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2008.01.012. Epub 2008 Mar 14.

Abstract

In treating thoracic aortic diseases, endovascular repair involves the placement of a self-expanding stent-graft system across the diseased thoracic aorta. Computational fluid dynamic techniques are applied to model the blood flow by numerically solving the three-dimensional continuity equation and the time-dependent Navier-Stokes equations for an incompressible fluid. From our results, high blood pressure level and high systolic slope of the pressure waveform will significantly increase the drag force on a stent-graft whereas high blood viscosity causes only a mild increase. It indicates that hemodynamic factors might have an important impact on the drag force and thus play a significant role in the risk of stent-graft failure.

MeSH terms

  • Angioplasty / instrumentation*
  • Aorta, Thoracic / physiopathology
  • Aorta, Thoracic / surgery
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / physiopathology
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / surgery*
  • Blood Flow Velocity / physiology
  • Blood Pressure / physiology
  • Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation*
  • Blood Viscosity / physiology
  • Computer Simulation
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Hemodynamics / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Mathematical Computing*
  • Shear Strength
  • Stents*