Hemodynamic Characteristics Regarding Recanalization of Completely Coiled Aneurysms: Computational Fluid Dynamic...

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Fluid Dynamics

Background:

• Intracranial aneurysms treated with endosaccular coiling can recur.
• Hemodynamic factors are implicated in the initiation and progression of aneurysm recurrence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify hemodynamic characteristics associated with aneurysm sac recurrence after complete coiling.
• To compare paired virtual models of coiled and subsequently recanalized aneurysms.

Main Methods:

• Created paired computational fluid dynamics (CFD) virtual models of five aneurysms that recurred after initial complete occlusion.
• Analyzed hemodynamic characteristics at the aneurysm neck before and after recurrence using CFD.

Main Results:

• High wall shear stress (WSS) was observed at the aneurysm neck where recurrence occurred in all cases.
• Small vortex formation with low velocity was present in front of the neck in four cases.
• Aneurysm recurrence sites correlated with high WSS and/or small vortex formation.

Conclusions:

• Recanalized aneurysms exhibit increased WSS and small vortex formation at the neck.
• These hemodynamic changes may contribute to recanalization after coil embolization.