Finite element analysis for blood accumulation in intracerebral hemorrhage

Biomechanical methods may provide a novel way to understand blood accumulation in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). The current study presents the results of a biomechanical analysis of blood accumulation in ICH using a finite element analysis, with an emphasis on the pressure exerted by the mass effect of blood in early ICH. A two-dimensional finite model of the human brain parenchyma and the human ventricular system was developed and analyzed under two preloading conditions. The material properties of the human parenchyma were derived from previous reports. Ogden's theory was applied to describe the stress-strain association in soft tissue. The results of the present study indicated that maximal stress was located at the two ends of the hemorrhage cavity, with the majority of stresses distributed on the zone surrounding the bleed. The two load environments demonstrated similar stress distributions. The loads put on the detached edges were not less than the intracranial pressure (ICP) when the stress threshold was reached. The results of the present study suggest that the direction of blood accumulation can be determined by the shape of the initial blood mass. Mechanical factors (blood pressure and ICP) did not serve a definitive role in preventing blood from accumulating in the early stages of ICH. The present study may aid in understanding the effects of mechanical factors in blood accumulation and hemostasis in patients with early ICH.