Fluid-structure interaction within realistic three-dimensional models of the aneurysmatic aorta as a guidance to assess the risk of rupture of the aneurysm

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) disease is a degenerating process whose ultimate event is the rupture of the vessel wall. Rupture occurs when the stresses acting on the wall rise above the strength of the AAA wall tissue. The complex mechanical interaction between blood flow and wall dynamics in a three dimensional custom model of a patient AAA was studied by means of computational coupled fluid-structure interaction analysis. Real 3D AAA geometry is obtained from CT scans image processing. The results provide a quantitative local evaluation of the stresses due to local structural and fluid dynamic conditions. The method accounts for the complex geometry of the aneurysm, the presence of a thrombus and the interaction between solid and fluid. A proven clinical efficacy may promote the method as a tool to determine factual aneurysm risk of rupture and aid the surgeon to refer elective surgery patients. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of IPEM.