Large eddy simulations of blood dynamics in abdominal aortic aneurysms

Med Eng Phys. 2017 Sep:47:38-46. doi: 10.1016/j.medengphy.2017.06.030. Epub 2017 Jul 12.

Abstract

We study the effects of transition to turbulence in abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). The presence of transitional effects in such districts is related to the heart pulsatility and the sudden change of diameter of the vessels, and has been recorded by means of clinical measures as well as of computational studies. Here we propose, for the first time, the use of a large eddy simulation (LES) model to accurately describe transition to turbulence in realistic scenarios of AAA obtained from radiological images. To this aim, we post-process the obtained numerical solutions to assess significant quantities, such as the ensemble-averaged velocity and wall shear stress, the standard deviation of the fluctuating velocity field, and vortical structures educed via the so-called Q-criterion. The results demonstrate the suitability of the considered LES model and show the presence of significant transitional effects around the impingement region during the mid-deceleration phase.

Keywords: Abdominal aortic aneurysm; Ensemble-average; Large eddy simulation; Transition to turbulence.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aorta, Abdominal / pathology*
  • Aorta, Abdominal / physiopathology*
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / pathology*
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / physiopathology*
  • Blood Flow Velocity*
  • Blood Physiological Phenomena*
  • Blood Pressure
  • Computer Simulation
  • Humans
  • Models, Cardiovascular*
  • Nonlinear Dynamics
  • Oscillometry / methods
  • Patient-Specific Modeling
  • Pulsatile Flow
  • Rheology / methods