Intra-aneurysmal flow with helix and mesh stent placement across side-wall aneurysm pore of a straight parent vessel

Pulsatile flow fields in a cerebrovascular side-wall aneurysm model with a wide ostium after stenting are presented in terms of particle tracking velocimetry measurements and flow visualization. Among the stent parameters the shape, helix versus mesh, was selected to study its effect on the changes of intraaneurysmal hemodynamics for the reference of minimally invasive endovascular aneurysm treatment. The blocking ratio of the stents was fixed at 30%. The Womersley number was 3.9 and the mean, peak, and minimal Reynolds numbers based on the bulk average velocity and diameter of the parent vessel were 600, 850, and 300, respectively. Four consecutive flow-rate phases were selected to characterize the intra-aneurysmal flow. The results are characterized in terms of velocity vector field, regional average velocity, and intra-aneurysmal vorticity/circulation/wall shear stress. It is found that the hemodynamic features inside the aneurysm alter markedly with the shape of the stent and the size of the orifice. Both stents investigated induce favorable changes in the intra-aneurysmal flow stasis as well as direction and undulation of wall shear stresses. A comparison of the results of the helix to mesh stent shows that the former is more favorable for endovascular treatment.