Intracranial collateralization determines hemodynamic forces for carotid plaque disruption

Percent diameter reduction provides an imperfect assessment of the risk for stroke from carotid atheroembolism. Stroke associated with atherosclerotic carotid stenosis commonly results from plaque disruption brought about by hemodynamic shear stress and Bernoulli forces. The aim of the present study was to predict the effect of incomplete intracranial collateralization through the circle of Willis (COW) on disruptive hemodynamic forces acting on carotid plaques.

A simple circuit model of the major pathways and collaterals that form and supply the COW was developed. We modeled the intra- and extracranial arterial circuits from standard anatomic references, and the pressure-flow relationships within these conduits from standard fluid mechanics. The pressure drop caused by (laminar and turbulent) flow along the internal carotid artery path was then computed. Carotid circulation to the brain was classified as being with or without collateral connections through the COW, and the extracranial carotid circuit as being with or without severe stenosis. The pressure drop was computed for each scenario. Finally, a linear circuit model was used to compute brain blood flow in the presence/absence of a disconnected COW.

Pressure drop across a carotid artery stenosis increased as the flow rate within the carotid conduit increased. Poststenotic turbulence from a sudden expansion distal to the stenosis resulted in an additional pressure drop. Despite the stenosis, mean brain blood flow was sustained at 4.15 mL/s bilaterally. In the presence of an intact (collateralized) COW, this was achieved by enhanced flow in the contralateral (normal) carotid artery. However, in a disconnected COW, this was achieved by sustained systolic and enhanced diastolic flow through the stenosed artery. For a similar degree of stenosis, flow and velocity across the plaque was much higher when the COW was disconnected compared with an intact COW. Furthermore, the pressure drop across a similar stenosis was significantly higher with a disconnected COW compared with an intact COW.

Incomplete intracranial collateralization through the COW results in increased flow rates and velocities, and therefore large pressure drops across a carotid artery stenosis. This exerts large disruptive shear stress on the plaque compared with patients with an intact COW. Percent diameter reduction provides an inaccurate assessment of risk for atheroembolic stroke. An assessment of carotid flow rates, flow velocities, and the intracranial collateral circulation may add independent information to refine the estimation of stroke risk in patients with asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis.