Preliminary Computational Hemodynamics Study of Double Aortic Aneurysms under Multistage Surgical Procedures: An Idealised Model Study

Abstract

Double aortic aneurysm (DAA) falls under the category of multiple aortic aneurysms. Repair is generally done through staged surgery due to low invasiveness. In this approach, one aneurysm is cured per operation. Therefore, two operations are required for DAA. However, post-first-surgery rupture cases have been reported. Although the problems involved with managing staged surgery have been discussed for more than 30 years, investigation from a hemodynamic perspective has not been attempted. Hence, this is the first computational fluid dynamics approach to the DAA problem. Three idealized geometries were prepared: presurgery, thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) cured, and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) cured. By applying identical boundary conditions for flow rate and pressure, the Navier-Stokes equation and continuity equations were solved under the Newtonian fluid assumption. Average pressure in TAA was increased by AAA repair. On the other hand, average pressure in AAA was decreased after TAA repair. Average wall shear stress was decreased at the peak in post-first-surgery models. However, the wave profile of TAA average wall shear stress was changed in the late systole phase after AAA repair. Since the average wall shear stress in the post-first-surgery models decreased and pressure at TAA after AAA repair increased, the TAA might be treated first to prevent rupture.