Simulation of Treatment for Aortic Arch Aneurysms With Half Implanted Stent

A novel approach was proposed employing half implanted stent for the treatment of aortic arch aneurysm harboring a bleb on its dome. The objectives of the study were to construct a nonstented and a half stented aortic arch aneurysm models with blebs, demonstrate the detailed flow patterns, pressure and wall shear stress distributions around the aneurysm, and examine whether half stented aneurysms have preferable intra-aneurysmal hemodynamics for thrombus and occlusion. The physiologic blood flows around the aortic arch aneurysms were simulated using the method of computational fluid dynamics. The detailed hemodynamics in both models were compared and analyzed. Flow activities inside the half stented aneurysm model were significantly diminished, specifically the pressures and wall shear stresses in the bleb were decreased. It can be concluded that half bridged endovascular stents can promote intra-aneurysmal thrombus development and attenuate aneurysm rupture risk, and it is a feasible approach to treat aortic arch aneurysm.