A numerical study on the influence of geometry on the rupture risk of abdominal aortic aneurysms

Abstract

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are local dilatations in the abdominal aorta occurring due to weakening of arterial wall. The present work investigates the influence of the ratio of maximum transverse diameter to abdominal height (DHr) on rupture risk of AAA, using hemodynamics and AAA wall mechanics simulations. We have considered two idealized AAA geometries, AAA1 of higher DHr than AAA2. Two constitutive models, namely, Newtonian and Carreau-Yasuda models have been used for modelling blood as an incompressible fluid. Additionally, in order to describe the behaviour of AAA wall, three constitutive models, namely, linear elastic, Saint Venant Kirchhoff elastic and a phenomenological finite-strain model called Raghavan-Vorp elastic have been utilised. Numerical simulations of AAA biomechanics have been performed using solids4Foam, an open source package built on finite volume framework. Hemodynamic parameteric study reveals that AAA1 has lower time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS) and higher oscillatory shear index (OSI) compared to AAA2. Thus, AAA1 has increased susceptibility to thrombus deposition and, therefore, higher risk of AAA rupture. Furthermore, the peak wall stress of AAA1 is about 8% higher than that of AAA2. It is concluded that higher DHr leads to greater rupture risk.