A computational fluid dynamics study on wall shear stress of sidewall aneurysms of varying size and dome-to-neck ratio

The size and dome-to-neck ratio of saccular aneurysms are known to influence the risk of their rupture. To better understand the hemodynamics associated with these variables, we constructed 3-D models of sidewall intracranial aneurysms using CFD. The effect of above-mentioned geometric parameters on wall shear stress (WSS) was investigated. Our results show that the dome area affected by higher values of WSS increases with decreasing dome-to-neck ratio. The results also show that the location of maximal WSS is on the artery near the distal end of the neck. The ability to analyze aneurysm hemodynamics in such a manner may eventually help in assessing the rupture risk of real human aneurysms.