Effects of Coil Bundle Deformation on Intra-Aneurysmal Flow

Abstract

Aneurysm recanalization can be attributed to coil compaction and migration, which are affected by hemodynamic forces acting on the packed coil inside the aneurysm. The effects of coil bundle deformation on the hemodynamic changes in coil-inserted lateral aneurysm models were investigated using computational fluid dynamics methods incorporating fluid-structure interactions. Lateral aneurysms with normal and wide necks were modeled, and coil bundles were modeled as elastic spheres. The time-averaged mean velocity magnitude at the neck (MVN) and the time-averaged mean kinetic energy (MKE) were calculated to quantify the overall inflow strength and intra-aneurysmal flow activity, respectively. The MVNs and MKEs were higher in elastic coil models than in rigid models, and elastic coil models with lower Young's moduli had higher MVNs. Therefore, coil deformation caused by hemodynamic forces is suspected to provide an unfavorable hemodynamic environment for aneurysm embolization.