Computational simulation of blood flow in a DeBakey type I aortic dissection

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to examine how flow field in aortic dissection is affected by its geometry and flow condition. Two models of DeBakey type I aortic dissection, which involves the entire aorta, were analyzed. Patient-specific geometries were reconstructed, based on Computed tomography (CT) scan images, in order to obtain 3D finite element meshes. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD), which uses numeric methods and algorithms for the simulation of blood flow by solving the Navier-Stokes equations on computational meshes, enhances the understanding of disease progression. For that purpose, the major fluid dynamic parameters and indicators of disease progression, such as velocity field, pressure and shear stress, were computed and analyzed. The computed results showed higher velocities in the ascending aorta, the inlet and outlet tears and the iliac arteries, in case of both models. The pressure distribution showed high zones in the ascending aorta, while the shear stress distribution showed low zones in the aneurysm part, in case of both models. In summary, the presented study can be extended to a larger patient group in a longitudinal study with the goal to determine the potential value of CFD simulations in prediction of aneurysmal growth and rupture.