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Published on: July 19, 2016
Review of the Development of Hemodynamic Modeling Techniques to Capture Flow Behavior in Arteries Affected by
Petra N Williamson1, Paul D Docherty1, Sina G Yazdi1
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
Insights
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and particle image velocimetry (PIV) are key for studying stent hemodynamics. This review examines the successes and limitations of these methods for understanding blood flow changes after stent implantation.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cardiovascular Research
- Fluid Dynamics
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of death, often linked to unhealthy blood flow dynamics.
- Stents and stent grafts are common treatments for CVDs, but their impact on arterial hemodynamics requires thorough investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the successes and limitations of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and particle image velocimetry (PIV) for investigating hemodynamic changes after stent implantation.
- To provide an overview of arterial physiology, mechanics, and simulation parameters relevant to stent hemodynamics.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on CFD and PIV applications in stent hemodynamics.
- Analysis of studies focusing on near-wall blood flow, peri-stent, and distal stent flow behaviors.
- Consideration of boundary conditions and working fluids used in blood flow simulations.
Main Results:
- CFD offers significant insights into stent mesh design's effect on near-wall blood flow and hemodynamics.
- PIV effectively captures fluid behavior mimicking physiological hemodynamics but has limitations in peri-stent flow analysis.
- Both methods have been used independently and for validating each other.
Conclusions:
- CFD and PIV are valuable tools for understanding stent hemodynamics, each with unique strengths and weaknesses.
- Further research is needed to fully address the limitations of current modeling methods, particularly for peri-stent flow.
- A comprehensive understanding of these methods is crucial for improving stent design and CVD treatment.
Abstract:
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death in the developed world. CVD can include atherosclerosis, aneurysm, dissection, or occlusion of the main arteries. Many CVDs are caused by unhealthy hemodynamics. Some CVDs can be treated with the implantation of stents and stent grafts. Investigations have been carried out to understand the effects of stents and stent grafts have on arteries and the hemodynamic changes post-treatment. Numerous studies on stent hemodynamics have been carried out using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) which has yielded significant insight into the effect of stent mesh design on near-wall blood flow and improving hemodynamics. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) has also been used to capture behavior of fluids that mimic physiological hemodynamics. However, PIV studies have largely been restricted to unstented models or intra-aneurysmal flow rather than peri or distal stent flow behaviors. PIV has been used both as a standalone measurement method and as a comparison to validate the CFD studies. This article reviews the successes and limitations of CFD and PIV-based modeling methods used to investigate the hemodynamic effects of stents. The review includes an overview of physiology and relevant mechanics of arteries as well as consideration of boundary conditions and the working fluids used to simulate blood for each modeling method along with the benefits and limitations introduced.
