Computational modeling of immersed non-spherical bodies in viscous flows to study embolus-hemodynamics interactions...

Interaction of particles with unsteady non-linear viscous flows has widespread implications in physiological and biomedical systems. One key application where this plays a fundamental role is in the mechanism and etiology of embolic strokes. Specifically, there is a need to better understand how large occlusive emboli traverse complex vascular geometries, and block a vessel disrupting blood supply. Existing modeling approaches resort to key simplifications in terms of embolic particle shape, size, and their coupling to fluid flow. Here, we devise a novel computational model for resolving embolus-hemodynamics interactions for large non-spherical emboli approaching near occlusive regimes in anatomically real vascular segments. The formulation relies on extending an immersed finite element approach, coupled with a six degree-of-freedom particle dynamics model. The geometric complexities and their manifestation in embolus-flow and embolus-wall interactions are handled using a parametric shape representation, and projection of vessel signed distance fields on the particle boundaries. We illustrate our methodology and algorithmic details, as well as present examples of benchmark cases and convergence of our technique. Thereafter, we demonstrate a parametric study of large emboli for Large Vessel Occlusion (LVO) strokes, showing that our methodology can capture the non-linear tumbling dynamics of emboli originating from their interactions with the flow and vessel walls; and resolve near-occlusive scenarios involving lubrication effects around the embolus and flow re-routing to non-occluded branches. This is a key methodological advancement in stroke modeling, as to the best of our knowledge this is the first modeling framework for LVO stroke and occlusion biofluid mechanics. Finally, even though we present our framework from the perspective of LVO strokes, the methodology as developed is broadly generalizable to two-way coupled fluid-particle interaction in unsteady viscous flows for a wide range of applications.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00366-026-02364-8.