Role of Fluid Dynamics and Inflammation in Intracranial Aneurysm Formation

Abstract

The emergence of inflammation as a key mediator of aneurysmogenesis provides new opportunities to understand the processes underlying development of intracranial aneurysms (IA). Inflammation unifies the triptych influences of alterations in local flow, mechanical properties of the wall and biochemical mediators and opens new avenues for building robust predictive tools. This review discusses the impact of the inflammatory cascade during the formation of intracranial aneurysms, and its associated morphological, structural and mechanical changes especially in the setting of flow-induced endothelial dysfunction.