COMPUTATIONAL SIMULATION OF ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURISM AND ITS ASSESSMENT TO MEDICAL TREATMENT

Abstract

Among cardiovascular diseases, aneurysms are defined as dilation of the artery or vein greater than 50% of its mean diameter. Relatively common pathology present in 9% of people over 65 years of age, aneurysm rupture mechanisms are still not identified by science. Currently, the diagnosis of when to operate an aneurysm is based on its mean diameter, as well as the physician's experience, which makes the choice between operating or not. It is estimated that 50% of people who suffer from hemorrhage due to an aneurysm die. In the evolution of the aneurysms, there is thrombus formation in which simulations can elucidate the cause and assess new treatment. The use computational tools such as fluid dynamics aid on understanding of blood flow and its interaction with artery's tissue. For the flow equation calculations, blood standard properties are modeled as viscoelastic and reofluidizing to perform the most reliable possible. Conditions that may lead to rupture of an aneurysm, such as thrombi and geometric composition, are determined in this study. It has been analyzed the structure variation that must indicate whether or not to operate an aneurysm. In this model, a methodology was developed to evaluate the fluid-tissue interaction in aneurysms in order to better elucidate the role of thrombi in the aneurysms and to propose assessment to medical treatment.