Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Toward Computer Modelling of Blood
Flow in an Anatomically Accurate
Arterial Tree in Endovascular Interventions
Harvey Ho, Kumar Mithraratne, Changwei Zhang,
Xiaodong Xie, Andrew Holden, and Peter Hunter
Abstract In this chapter, we present a numerical approach to simulate transient
blood flow in an anatomically accurate arterial tree that spans the whole range of
arteries involved in typical endovascular neuro-interventions. To serve this pur-
pose, a cerebral arterial tree is coupled with an arterial tree based on the Visual
Human Project (VHP). Blood flow in the arterial tree is solved by using a one-
dimensional (1D) formulation of the governing viscous flow equations. We propose
a strategy for modelling endo-devices in the vascular network. We show some
preliminary results, including the transient flow in the arterial tree and the simula-
tion of a balloon-occlusion procedure in vertebral arteries.
1
Introduction
Over the last several decades, endovascular intervention has become an effective
method to treat vascular diseases [
1
]. This technique employs a catheter which is
introduced into the vascular network from a puncture site (usually the femoral
artery) and is advanced to target locations. Endo-devices (e.g., coils, balloons,
stents) are then deployed to treat vascular lesions, e.g., by filling a cerebral aneurysm
with coils, by occluding a vessel with an inflated balloon [
2
], etc. One of such
interventional procedures is shown in Fig.
1
, where two intracranial aneurysms were
coiled (indicated by arrows, Fig.
1a
) and occluded from their parent arteries
H. Ho (
*
) • K. Mithraratne • P. Hunter
Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
C. Zhang • X. Xie
Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Chengdu, China
A. Holden
Department of Radiology, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand
e-mail:
AndrewH@adhb.govt.nz
