Modeling of Hemodynamics and Mechanical Behavior of Pathologically Tortuous Carotid Arteries

Treatment of ischemic cerebrovascular diseases is one of the most challenging problems of modern medicine. Tortuosity of a carotid artery (CA) is a common pathology that may cause ischemic stroke. In this study, 3D FEM models with fluid-structure interactions of carotid arteries with pathological tortuousities of four main types (S-bending,C-bending, kinking, coiling) along with normal CA were built using a real 3D-geometry based on computer tomography data. The results show significant differences in blood velocity and pressure fields between normal and tourtuous CAs that leads to the abnormal blood flow in diseased vessels. In all cases of tortuosity except coiling, the local reversed blood flow is observed. Minimal wall shear stresses are observed in inflection zones of tortuous carotid arteries that may affect both initiation and progress of atherosclerosis.