The hemodynamic alterations induced by the vascular angular deformation in stent-assisted coiling of bifurcation aneurysms

Abstract

The hemodynamic changes induced by stent deployment and vascular remodeling in bifurcation aneurysms were investigated using computational fluid dynamics. The stent deployment reduced the intra-aneurysmal flow activity by decreasing the mean velocity, mean kinetic energy, mean wall shear stress, and mean vorticity. These hemodynamic parameters increased with an increase in the branching angle because of the vessel deformation caused by stent straightening. The maximum wall shear stress and its spatial gradient occurred near the neck of the aneurysm in the stented left daughter vessel, whereas a maximum oscillatory shear index was detected near the neck of the right aneurysm of the right daughter vessel. Theses parameters, which might be related to the recurrence of aneurysms, were also increased by stent-induced vessel deformation.