A computational study of the effect of stent design on local hemodynamic factors at the carotid artery bifurcation

Abstract

Background: Previous clinical studies have shown that the incidence of restenosis after carotid and coronary stenting varies with stent design and deployment configuration. This study aims to determine how stent design may affect in-stent hemodynamics in stented carotid arteries by means of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Methods: A robust computational method was developed to integrate detailed stent strut geometry in a patient-specific carotid artery reconstructed from medical images. Three stent designs, including two closed-cell stents and one open-cell stent, were reproduced and incorporated into the reconstructed post-stent carotid bifurcation. CFD simulations were performed under patient-specific flow conditions. Local hemodynamic parameters were evaluated and compared in terms of Wall Shear Stress (WSS), Oscillatory Shear Index (OSI) and Relative Residence Time (RRT). Results: All simulated stent designs induced some degree of flow disruption as manifested through flow separation and recirculation zones downstream of stent struts and quantified by WSS-related indices. Compared to the simulated open-cell stent, closed-cell stents created slightly larger areas of low WSS, elevated OSI and high RRT, due to a greater number of stent struts protruding into the lumen. Conclusion: Detailed stent design and patient-specific geometric features of the stented vessel have a strong influence on the evaluated hemodynamic parameters. Our limited computational results suggest that closed-cell stents may pose a higher risk for in-stent restenosis (ISR) than open-cell stent design. Further large-scale prospective studies are warranted to elucidate the role of stent design in the development of ISR after CAS.