Longitudinal computational fluid dynamics study of aneurysmal dilatation in a chronic DeBakey type III aortic dissection

• Published in: Journal of vascular surgery 2012-07, Vol.56 (1), p.260-263.e1
• Main Authors: Karmonik, Christof, PhD, Partovi, Sasan, MD, Müller-Eschner, Matthias, MD, Bismuth, Jean, MD, Davies, Mark G., MD, Shah, Dipan J., MD, Loebe, Matthias, MD, Böckler, Dittmar, MD, Lumsden, Alan B., MD, von Tengg-Kobligk, Hendrik, MD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; Aneurysm, Dissecting - physiopathology; Aortic Aneurysm - physiopathology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiology. Vascular system; Chronic Disease; Disease Progression; Diseases of the aorta; Humans; Hydrodynamics; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Surgery; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Vascular surgery: aorta, extremities, vena cava. Surgery of the lymphatic vessels
• ISSN: 0741-5214; 1097-6809
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jvs.2012.02.064

Computational fluid dynamics, which uses numeric methods and algorithms for the simulation of blood flow by solving the Navier-Stokes equations on computational meshes, is enhancing the understanding of disease progression in type III aortic dissections. To illustrate this, we examined the changes in patient-derived geometries of aortic dissections, which showed progressive false lumen aneurysmal dilatation (26% diameter increase) during follow-up. Total pressure was decreased by 29% during systole and by 34% during retrograde flow. At the site of the highest false lumen dilatation, the temporal average of total pressure decreased from 45 to 22 Pa, and maximal average wall shear stress decreased from 0.9 to 0.4 Pa. These first results in the study of disease progression of type III DeBakey aortic dissection with computational fluid dynamics are encouraging.