Computational modeling of the fluid flow in type B aortic dissection using a modified finite element embedded...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Computational Fluid Dynamics
• Cardiovascular Research

Background:

• Type B aortic dissection poses significant clinical challenges.
• Accurate simulation of blood flow is crucial for understanding disease progression and treatment.
• Current methods for analyzing intimal flap dynamics can be computationally intensive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate an embedded computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method for studying type B aortic dissection.
• To enable efficient simulation of various intimal flap configurations without remeshing.
• To provide a tool for aiding clinical decision-making in surgical fenestration procedures.

Main Methods:

• An embedded CFD approach was utilized to model blood flow dynamics.
• The methodology was validated against in vitro experimental data of type B aortic dissection with varying tear configurations.
• The method was applied to simulate surgical fenestration by creating artificial reentry tears.

Main Results:

• The CFD method accurately reproduced experimental pressure values and waveforms.
• Simulations demonstrated a remarkable similarity to reference experimental data.
• Computational fenestration results aligned with clinical observations from similar studies.

Conclusions:

• The embedded CFD method is a correct and suitable approach for studying type B aortic dissection.
• This technique facilitates rapid evaluation of intimal flap configurations and surgical fenestration strategies.
• The tool has the potential to assist clinicians in pre-operative planning for type B aortic dissection treatment.