Patients with pulsatile tinnitus (PT) have unstable treatment effects after resurfacing surgery. Flow‐diverting stents (FDS) are proposed as a potential method for the treatment of PT, but the therapeutic effect is not clear. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of FDS in the treatment of patients with PT induced by sigmoid sinus diverticulum (SSD) and sigmoid sinus wall dehiscence (SSWD). In addition, we aimed to explore the treatment mechanism of PT. Transient‐state multiphysics coupling numerical simulation method based on computed tomography angiography of five patients was used to clarify the biomechanical and acoustic states before and after FDS placement. FDS was placed to prevent the blood flow from impacting the vessel wall in the SSD and SSWD areas. Low blood flow velocity (<0.0391 m/s), high relative residence time (>10 Pa−1), and low wall shear stress of SSD might lead to thrombosis after FDS placement. The average pressure on the SSWD area of each patient decreased by 13.77%, 18.82%, 29.23%, 19.03%, and 11.20%. The average displacement of the vessel wall on the SSWD area showed acute pulsation and decreased by 15.29%, 14.64%, 30.22%, 41.03%, and 21.28%. The average sound pressure level at the tympanum decreased by 14.01%, 9.33%, 17.66%, 18.88%, and 25.18%, respectively. In brief, FDS was placed to avoid blood flow impacting vessels and reduce the vibration of vessels in the short term, thereby attenuating the degree of PT. The long‐term prognosis was that the SSWD area was blocked after SSD thrombosis. Therefore, FDS might be an effective method for the treatment of PT induced by SSD and SSWD. This study would provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of PT and an exploration of FDS design in the treatment of PT.
ObjectivesTo simulate hemodynamic changes after extraluminal compression in pulsatile tinnitus (PT) patients with a prominent transverse-sigmoid sinus junction (PTSJ).MethodsOne patient-specific case was reconstructed based on computed tomography venography (CTV) images of a PT patient. The compression degree served as a new index in this study. Cases with 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90% of the compression degree of the control subject were constructed. Steady-state computational fluid dynamics (CFD) were assessed. The wall pressure distribution, wall maximum pressure (Pmax) and flow pattern (velocity streamlines and velocity vector) of the PTSJ were calculated to evaluate hemodynamic differences among all cases.ResultsWith increasing compression, the wall pressure at the compression point and downstream of the PTSJ decreased but increased upstream. When the compression degree exceeded 70%, the upstream pressure increased significantly. Above 50% compression, the blood flow pattern downstream of the sigmoid sinus tended to spiral, especially after 80% compression. Beyond 60% compression, the blood flow pattern under the compression axis became more medial.ConclusionMechanical compression of PTSJ changes wall pressure and blood flow patterns. The degree of compression should be carefully observed to avoid possible complications or reoccurrence.
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