Journal of biomechanics
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Journal of biomechanics · Sep 2015
Finite element modeling of endovascular coiling and flow diversion enables hemodynamic prediction of complex treatment strategies for intracranial aneurysm.
Endovascular interventions using coil embolization and flow diversion are becoming the mainstream treatment for intracranial aneurysms (IAs). To help assess the effect of intervention strategies on aneurysm hemodynamics and treatment outcome, we have developed a finite-element-method (FEM)-based technique for coil deployment along with our HiFiVS technique for flow diverter (FD) deployment in patient-specific IAs. We tested four clinical intervention strategies: coiling (1-8 coils), single FD, FD with adjunctive coils (1-8 coils), and overlapping FDs. ⋯ This suggests that the main role of FDs is to divert inflow, while that of coils is to create stasis in the aneurysm. Overlapping FDs decreases inflow rate, average velocity, and average wall shear stress (WSS) in the aneurysm sac, but adding a third FD produces minimal additional reduction. In conclusion, our FEM-based techniques for virtual coiling and flow diversion enable recapitulation of complex endovascular intervention strategies and detailed hemodynamics to identify hemodynamic factors that affect treatment outcome.
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Journal of biomechanics · Sep 2015
Evaluation of a laboratory model of human head impact biomechanics.
This work describes methodology for evaluating laboratory models of head impact biomechanics. Using this methodology, we investigated: how closely does twin-wire drop testing model head rotation in American football impacts? Head rotation is believed to cause mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) but helmet safety standards only model head translations believed to cause severe TBI. It is unknown whether laboratory head impact models in safety standards, like twin-wire drop testing, reproduce six degree-of-freedom (6DOF) head impact biomechanics that may cause mTBI. ⋯ Initial conditions of a single field impact were highly resolved in stereo high-speed video and reconstructed in a drop test. Reconstruction results reflected aggregate trends of lower amplitude rotational velocity and higher frequency rotational acceleration in drop testing, apparently due to twin-wire constraints and the absence of a neck. These results suggest twin-wire drop testing is limited in modeling head rotation during impact, and motivate continued evaluation of head impact models to ensure helmets are tested under conditions that may cause mTBI.
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Journal of biomechanics · Sep 2015
The region-dependent biomechanical and biochemical properties of bovine cartilaginous endplate.
Regional biomechanical and biochemical properties of bovine cartilaginous endplate (CEP) and its role in disc mechanics and nutrition were determined. The equilibrium aggregate modulus and hydraulic permeability between the central and lateral regions were examined by confined compression testing. Biochemical assays were conducted to quantify the amount of water, collagen, and glycosaminoglycan (GAG). ⋯ The lateral bovine endplate is much stiffer and may share a greater portion of the load. Compared with the nucleus pulposus (NP) and annulus fibrosus (AF), a smaller hydraulic permeability was found for the CEP in both the central and lateral regions, which could be due to its lower water content and higher collagen content. Our results suggest that the CEP may block rapid fluid exchange and solute convection, allow pressurization of the interstitial fluid, and play a significant role in nutrient supply in response to loading.