Experimental study on hemodynamics of an end-to-side anastomosis

Abstract

A three-dimensional and three-component velocity measurement on the flow field in a 45° end-to-side anastomosis model is conducted to investigate the hemodynamics, which is an important factor to the intimal hyperplasia formation and graft failure after surgery. Thanks to the advanced volumetric measurement technology of tomographic particle image velocimetry, the recirculation zone, low-speed region, and the spiral flow structures can be visualized. As a result, the flow field of three cases with the local maximum velocity of 0.15, 0.8, and 1.4 m/s are visible and the inlet velocity profile tends to be skewed as the flow rate increases. The mean vorticity contours indicate that the positive vortex center rotates 6.47°, 50.23°, and 90.4° and the negative vortex center rotates 20.44°, 15.73°, and 68.47°, respectively, in three cases. The instantaneous vortex structures identified by the λci criterion demonstrate two large-scale vortex structures in the distal section. The two vortices have the tendency to intertwine while one of them decays earlier. The wall shear stress (WSS) distributions on the entire model with the local maximum of 0.8, 5.8, and 13.8 Pa in three cases have been quantitatively achieved. The abnormal WSS and WSS gradient can help localize risk areas and understand the intimal hyperplasia formation. A detailed illustration of hemodynamics inside the 45° end-to-side anastomosis model has been provided, which demonstrates more comprehensive large-scale flow structures and abnormal WSS regions. Combined with the information of flow structures and WSS distribution, the understanding of the hemodynamics in the anastomosis can be strengthened.