数值模拟描述血管壁厚度对复杂颅内动脉瘤流固耦合分析结果的影响

背景：颅内动脉瘤病死率高,有限元分析预测其破裂风险目前成了一个热门课题。有限元分析需要可靠的流固耦合模型,动脉瘤的血液模型很易得到,而血管壁模型无法直接获得,只能人为设置,这可能对计算结果造成影响。目的：探讨有限元建模时血管壁厚度的设置对复杂颅内动脉瘤流固耦合分析的影响,为颅内动脉瘤的数值模拟研究提供更可靠的建模方法。方法：通过3D脑血管造影取得一67岁男性患者左侧颈内动脉颅内段串联动脉瘤的三维数值模型。术后通过管壁增厚的方法构建出血管壁模型,人为设置的壁厚为0.3,0.4,0.5,0.6 mm,得到4个流固耦合模型。根据术中测得的数据,利用有限元法模拟分析流固耦合作用下颈内动脉串联动脉瘤的血液动力学特征,比较4个模型计算结果之间的差异。结果与结论:4个模型的血液流线图、血液压力降图、血管内壁壁面切应力均无差异(P > 0.05)。4个模型血管壁变形最明显处均在颈内动脉C₂段,但血管壁越厚者最大变形量越小(P < 0.01)。4个模型血管壁Von Mises应力均在I,J两点处达到局部最大值,血管壁越薄者局部最大值越大(P < 0.01)。证实血管壁厚度的设置会对复杂颅内动脉瘤的流固耦合分析结果造成影响,欲得到准确计算结果需根据实际情况设置合适厚度。 中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：组织构建;骨细胞;软骨细胞;细胞培养;成纤维细胞;血管内皮细胞;骨质疏松;组织工程全文链接：     

基于三维医学影像的脑动脉瘤内血液流动的数值模拟

目的 利用数值模拟研究具有病人特异性的脑动脉瘤内的血液流动,为脑动脉瘤的破裂风险的评价和动脉瘤介入栓塞后复发风险的评价提供帮助。方法 从两例脑动脉瘤病人的3D-RA数据中重建动脉瘤几何模型,血液流变学模型选择假塑性非牛顿流体模型,利用商用CFD软件Fluent对两例动脉瘤内的血液流动进行数值模拟。结果 数值模拟给出了动脉瘤内的流线图、重要截面上的速度分布图、壁面上的切应力分布和压力分布图。并且绘制了在收缩期时刻动脉瘤颈部和瘤顶部各20个点上的壁面切应力和压力的变化情况。结论 血流动力学因素如流速、压力、壁面切应力、流动对壁面的冲击状况等因素与动脉瘤的生长和破裂密切相关,而由于脑动脉瘤形态各异、载瘤动脉与动脉瘤体的几何关系复杂,所以具有病人特异性的数值模拟对于研究动脉瘤破裂和复发风险具有重要价值。动脉瘤颈部的壁面切应力和壁面切应力的波动的变化规律并不相同,需要进一步研究壁面切应力的波动与脑动脉瘤生长与破裂之间的定量关系。     

构建颈内动脉瘤双向流固耦合模型的血流模拟

背景：动脉瘤血液动力学变化为动脉瘤的治疗与其破裂的预防研究提供了前提与条件,有限元分析是一种很好的技术手段。 目的：构建颈内动脉瘤的双向流固耦合模型,并进行相关血流模拟。 方法：利用GE Lightspeed 64排螺旋CT扫描获得颈内动脉瘤CT血管造影数据,分别在mimics10.01软件上进行三维模型的实体构建,ansys+fluent软件进行流固耦合及血流模拟与仿真。 结果与结论：构建了颈内动脉瘤瘤壁和流场的有限元模型,模型具有良好的解剖形态,并与实体模型一致。模拟展示整个心动周期的血流变化：瘤体血流呈漩涡样,瘤体部流速较瘤颈部慢;血流引起动脉瘤壁的形变、壁面剪切力、压力及应力以瘤颈部最大,瘤顶部最小。模拟值以0.16 s(快速射血期)时刻为最高值,0.74 s(舒张期)为最低值。结果显示基于CT血管造影扫描数据进行颈内动脉瘤的双向流固耦合建模,其方法简单、实用。模拟动脉瘤血流接近人体的生理状态,结果为研究动脉瘤发生、发展提供新的理论依据。 中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：组织构建;骨细胞;软骨细胞;细胞培养;成纤维细胞;血管内皮细胞;骨质疏松;组织工程全文链接：     

蜿蜒型脑动脉瘤的血流动力学仿真

目的分析在一个心动周期中蜿蜒型脑动脉瘤的血液流动情形、压力和壁面切应力分布和变化情况。方法构建了二维理想化的蜿蜒型脑动脉瘤（有2个动脉瘤）几何模型。利用计算流体力学方法对生理性脉动流进行了数值仿真。选择6个相继的心动时刻来显示流腔内的流动。结果2个流腔内的流动情形和壁面切应力分布呈现相似的特征,而第2个动脉瘤的末端瘤口则呈现非常高的壁面切应力和很高的压力梯度,这将更易于导致动脉瘤的发展和破裂。结论血液流动特征可以帮助人们更好地理解在S形弯曲动脉上滋生的在体蜿蜒型动脉瘤的血流动力学特性。     

附带局部突起的主动脉弓动脉瘤的血流动力学仿真

目的：为了弄清楚顶部附带局部突起的主动脉弓动脉瘤的血流动力学特征，因为针这种动脉瘤的血流动力学目前还较少有人研究。方法：建立了理想化的动脉瘤模型。利用计算流体力学的方法对模型中的生理性血液流动进行了仿真。结果：对流动情形、压力和壁面切应力分布进行了分析，以便评价血流动力学对动脉瘤的发展和破裂的影响。来自动脉的血流对下游瘤口和瘤顶局部突起的冲击较大。瘤顶局部突起区域的压力较高。在瘤口和突起口部位的局部壁面切应力比其他地方的要高。结论：下游瘤口和瘤顶局部突起部位是动脉瘤扩展和破裂的危险区域。     

腹主动脉瘤中定常流动的三维数值模拟

目的讨论定常流动情况下，三维腹主动脉瘤模型内的流动情况。方法应用三维非对称模型进行数值模拟。结果结果表明，在对称面上有一个涡而横截面上有两对涡的存在。壁面切应力在动脉瘤的出口处数值较高且变化大。结论流动和壁面切应力分布反应动脉瘤出口处为破裂的危险区域。     

支架植入颅内动脉瘤治疗效果的数值模拟研究

研究不同结构形状的血管支架用于治疗颅内动脉瘤后对血流动力学的影响。针对同一个体化颅内动脉瘤模型,设计了三种网丝截面相同、通透率近似相等、结构形状不同的支架。将这三种支架植入颅内动脉瘤模型,进行双向流固耦合数值模拟,分析血流速度、壁面切应力的变化情况。三种支架中,螺旋型支架对动脉瘤瘤腔内的血流旋涡改善效果最佳,对动脉瘤瘤颈和瘤顶部分较高的壁面切应力削弱也最明显;周期型支架的柔顺性优于其余两种类型的支架。螺旋型支架植入颅内动脉瘤的治疗效果最佳,但不适合几何形状复杂的血管,本研究也可为进一步优化支架结构提供依据。     

二维弹性动脉瘤模型的血液动力学数值模拟与分析

本研究的目的在于探讨血液动力学参数对于动脉瘤形成、生长以及破裂的影响。从医学影像学图像出发,进行二维弹性动脉瘤模型的血液动力学数值模拟。将其结果与刚性动脉瘤结果在速度矢量场和切应力分布上进行对比,发现两者存在较大差异。主要表现在几个截面的速度分布有较大差异,其中一个出口的速度分布明显偏心,这将影响壁面的应力分布以及管壁物质交换。弹性和刚性模拟沿瘤壁的壁面切应力分布曲线走势基本相似,所不同的是两者的切应力数值特别是在瘤颈附近存在较大差异。通过分析阐明弹性壁模型更加符合临床与病理生理实际。研究结果对于分析动脉瘤形成、生长破裂以及预后有重要的临床应用价值。     

三种截面支架对动脉瘤血流动力学影响的比较研究

目的提出不同于传统支架的三角形网丝截面支架,并对其进行数值模拟,比较圆形、矩形、三角形截面支架在动脉瘤内的血流动力学效果。方法构建3个有支架植入的动脉瘤模型,分别为圆形(CM型)、矩形(RM型)和三角形(TM型)截面支架模型,并与1个无支架的动脉瘤模型(UM型)对照。在相同的边界条件下,利用有限单元法对4个模型进行流固耦合数值模拟。结果 RM型比TM型和CM型的速度更低、流阻更高、流转时间更长,所以矩形、三角形、圆形截面支架血液流动的影响效果依次降低。在削弱壁面切应力大小、降低壁面切应力波动性方面,RM型比TM型和CM型更加显著,但CM型和TM型的壁面升压低于RM型。壁面应力分布和变形结果表明动脉瘤沿远侧壁生长的可能性大于近侧壁,瘤顶破裂的风险最大。结论 3种截面支架展示了不同的血流动力学,这些结果为血管内支架的结构设计和优化提供了有意义的参考依据。     

5种支架对颈内动脉瘤血液动力学影响的数值研究

目的 研究不同结构形状以及不同网丝截面的支架用于颈内动脉瘤治疗后对血液动力学及支架柔顺性的影响。方法 针对同一个体模型的颈内动脉瘤,构建5种不同支架介入治疗的模型。这些支架的支撑体网丝截面不同,但支架通透率近似相等。利用有限体积法进行数值仿真,获得其生物力学特性的定量信息。结果 5种模型中,矩形截面网格支架模型动脉瘤腔中平均流动速度的减小幅度最大;圆型截面支架和矩形截面螺旋支架模型中瘤面和瘤颈部分的壁面切应力减小面积较大;网格支架的柔顺性要远好于螺旋支架。结论 矩形截面网格支架对治疗颈内动脉瘤有较好的生物力学影响,这些发现可帮助临床医生在治疗脑动脉瘤时选择合适的支架。     

Timing and size of flow impingement in a giant intracranial aneurysm at the internal carotid artery

Flow impingement is regarded as a key factor for aneurysm formation and rupture. Wall shear stress (WSS) is often used to evaluate flow impingement even though WSS and impinging force are in two different directions; therefore, this raises an important question of whether using WSS for evaluation of flow impingement size is appropriate. Flow impinging behavior in a patient-specific model of a giant aneurysm (GA) at the internal carotid artery (ICA) was analyzed by computational fluid dynamics simulations. An Impingement Index (IMI) was used to evaluate the timing and size of flow impingement. In theory, the IMI is related to the WSS gradient, which is known to affect vascular biology of endothelial cells. Effect of non-Newtonian fluid, aneurysm size, and heart rate were also studied. Maximum WSS is found to be proportional to the IMI, but the area of high wall shear is not proportional to the size of impingement. A faster heart rate or larger aneurysm does not produce a larger impinging site, and the Newtonian assumption overestimates the size of impingement. Flow impingement at the dome occurs approximately 0.11 s after the peak of flow waveform is attained. This time delay also increases with aneurysm size and varies with heart rate and waveform.     

Vascular Dynamics of a Shape Memory Polymer Foam Aneurysm Treatment Technique

The vascular dynamics of a shape memory polymer foam aneurysm treatment technique are assessed through the simulated treatment of a generic basilar aneurysm using coupled fluid dynamics and heat transfer calculations. The shape memory polymer foam, which expands to fill the aneurysm when heated, is modeled at three discrete stages of the treatment procedure. To estimate an upper bound for the maximum amount of thermal damage due to foam heating, a steady velocity is specified through the basilar artery, corresponding to a minimum physiological flow velocity over a cardiac cycle. During expansion, the foam alters the flow patterns within the aneurysm by shielding the aneurysm dome from a confined jet that issues from the basilar artery. The time scales for thermal damage to the artery walls and surrounding blood flow are computed from the temperature field. The flow through the post-treatment bifurcation is comprised of two counter-rotating vortex tubes that are located beneath the aneurysm neck and extend downstream into the outlet arteries. Beneath the aneurysm neck, a marked increase in the wall shear stress is observed due to the close proximity of the counter-rotating vortex tubes to the artery wall.     

Hemodynamics of small aneurysm pairs at the internal carotid artery

Cerebral aneurysms carry significant risks because rupture-related subarachnoid hemorrhage leads to serious and often fatal consequences. The rupture risk increases considerably for multiple aneurysms. Multiple aneurysms can grow from the same location of an artery, and the interaction between these aneurysms raises the rupture risk even higher. Four aneurysm pair cases at the internal carotid artery are investigated for their hemodynamic behaviors using patient-specific modeling. For each case, aneurysms are separated from the parent artery and three models are reconstructed, one with two aneurysms and the other two models with only one of the two aneurysms. Results show that the relative anatomic location of one aneurysm to the other may determine the hemodynamic environment of an aneurysm. The presence of a proximal aneurysm reduces the intra-aneurysmal flow into the distal aneurysm; the proximal aneurysm and larger aneurysm have a greater area under low wall shear stress. The average intra-aneurysmal inflow ratio ranges from 16% to 41%, and reduction of the inflow ratio by an aneurysm pair varies from 6% to 15%. The maximum wall shear stress increases for serial aneurysms, but decreases for parallel aneurysms. Interaction between parallel aneurysms is not significant; however, the proximal aneurysm in serial aneurysms may be subject to a greater rupture risk.     

Patient-specific flow analysis of brain aneurysms at a single location: comparison of hemodynamic characteristics in small aneurysms

The purpose of this study is to examine and compare the hemodynamic characteristics of small aneurysms at the same anatomical location. Six internal carotid artery-ophthalmic artery aneurysms smaller than 10 mm were selected. Image-based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques were used to simulate aneurysm hemodynamics. Flow velocity and wall shear stress (WSS) were also quantitatively compared, both in absolute value and relative value using the parent artery as a baseline. We found that flow properties were similar in ruptured and unruptured small aneurysms. However, the WSS was lower at the aneurysm site in unruptured aneurysms and higher in ruptured aneurysms (P < 0.05). Hemodynamic analyses at a single location with similar size enabled us to directly compare the hemodynamics and clinical presentation of brain aneurysms. The results suggest that the WSS in an aneurysm sac can be an important hemodynamic parameter related to the mechanism of brain aneurysm growth and rupture.     

Effects of blood flow and vessel geometry on wall stress and rupture risk of abdominal aortic aneurysms

Sudden rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), often without prior medical warning, is the 13th leading cause of mortality in the US. The local rupture is triggered when the elusive maximum local wall stress exceeds the patient's yield stress. Employing a validated fluid – structure interaction code, the coupled blood flow and AAA wall dynamics were simulated and analysed for two representative asymmetric AAAs with different neck angles and iliac bifurcations. It turned out that the AAA morphology plays an important role in wall deformation and stress distribution, and hence possible rupture. The neck angle substantially impacts flow fields. A large neck angle may cause strong irregular vortices in the AAA cavity and may influence the wall stress distribution remarkably. The rupture risk of lateral asymmetric AAAs is higher than for the anterior – posterior asymmetric types. The most likely rupture site is located near the anterior distal side for the anterior – posterior asymmetric AAA and the left distal side in the lateral asymmetric AAA.     

支架植入颅内蜿蜒型动脉瘤的血流动力学仿真

目的　构建蜿蜒型动脉瘤和弯曲支架三维有限元模型,研究支架植入动脉瘤后的血流动力学的变化。方法　通过CAD软件构建出几何实体模型,借助有限元软件利用计算流体力学方法,分别对无支架和有支架的蜿蜒型脑动脉瘤定常流动血流动力学进行数值模拟,分析在动脉瘤中植入内支架前后的瘤腔内流动情形、压力和壁面切应力分布的变化情况。结果　有支架动脉瘤模型上游瘤腔内的血流速度被大大削弱,圆顶突起处局部高压力明显减弱,在下游瘤腔沿壁面的压力也得到明显降低并且分布也均衡了很多,末端唇缘处局部高切应力消失了,出现的是较小且均衡的切应力。结论　有支架模型瘤腔内的流速明显减小,均衡的压力分布与瘤腔内减弱的流动速度是相互统一的,利于瘤腔内血栓的形成。     

Post-Treatment Hemodynamics of a Basilar Aneurysm and Bifurcation

To investigate whether or not a successful aneurysm treatment procedure can subject a parent artery to harmful hemodynamic stresses, computational fluid dynamics simulations are performed on a patient-specific basilar aneurysm and bifurcation before and after a virtual endovascular treatment. Prior to treatment, the aneurysm at systole is filled with a periodic train of vortex tubes, which form at the aneurysm neck and advect upwards into the dome. Following the treatment procedure however, the motion of the vortex train is inhibited by the aneurysm filling material, which confines the vortex tubes to the region beneath the aneurysm neck. Analysis of the post-treatment flow field indicates that the impingement of the basilar artery flow upon the treated aneurysm neck and the close proximity of a vortex tube to the parent artery wall increase the maximum wall shear stresses to values approximately equal to 50 Pa at systole. Calculation of the time-averaged wall shear stresses indicates that there is a 1.4 × 10⁻⁷ m² area on the parent artery exposed to wall shear stresses greater than 37.9 Pa, a value shown by Fry [Circ. Res. 22(2):165–197, 1968] to cause severe damage to the endothelial cells that line the artery wall. The results of this study demonstrate that it is possible for a treatment procedure, which successfully isolates the aneurysm from the circulation and leaves no aneurysm neck remnant, to elevate the hemodynamic stresses to levels that are injurious to the artery wall.