Influence of Rheological Models in a Generic Carotid Artery Aneurysm with the use of Computational Hemodynamics

Abstract

Aneurysms are deformations that occur in artery walls, due to excessive blood pressure or a decrease in the blood vessel wall resistance. This type of pathology is often seen in intracranial arteries. Thus, once this aneurysm ruptures, it results in an internal haemorrhage, which can consequently lead to death or morbidity of the patient. In order to aid physicians, CFD-based tools can be used to obtain key parameters, such as WSS (Wall Shear Stress). Due to the nature of the blood, this fluid behaves as a non-Newtonian fluid. Therefore, this study aimed to compare and analyze the influence of rheological models on the blood flow in an idealized aneurysm in the carotid artery. Results showed that non-Newtonian models have a direct impact on the WSS and that a Newtonian model might underestimate WSS. Keywords: Hemodynamics; Carotid artery; Aneurysm; Rheological models.