Impact of Geometric Attributes on Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Rupture Risk: An In Vivo FSI-Based Study

Abstract

Reported in this paper is a cutting-edge computational investigation into the influence of geometric characteristics on abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture risk, beyond the traditional measure of maximum aneurysm diameter. A Comprehensive fluid–structure interaction (FSI) analysis was employed to assess risk factors in a range of patient scenarios, with the use of three-dimensional (3D) AAA models reconstructed from patient-specific aortic data and finite element method. Wall shear stress (WSS), and its derivatives such as time-averaged WSS (TAWSS), oscillatory shear index (OSI), relative residence time (RRT) and transverse WSS (transWSS) offer insights into the force dynamics acting on the AAA wall. Emphasis is placed on these WSS-based metrics and seven key geometric indices. By correlating these geometric discrepancies with biomechanical phenomena, this study highlights the novel and profound impact of geometry on risk prediction. This study demonstrates the necessity of a multidimensional assessment approach, future efforts should complement these findings with experimental validations for an applicable approach for clinical use.