Numerical Modeling to Explore the Potential of Metamaterial-Based Stents in Treating Aortic Arch Aneurysm

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has emerged as a less invasive and lower-risk treatment option for aortic diseases. However, the complex anatomy of the aortic arch often limits the effectiveness of TEVAR. Therefore, there is a pressing need to develop a new design of stent that can more effectively adapt to the internal structure of the aortic arch to restore the blood flow. In this study, we designed a metamaterial-based stent using computational modeling techniques to focus on its ability to alter blood flow dynamics. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study was conducted to evaluate its influence on blood flow within the aneurysm. We applied realistic boundary conditions to study the changes in flow within the aneurysm. Our results revealed that the auxetic stent design exhibited blood flow-restoring properties. It effectively reduced the maximum velocity (from 0.75 m/s to 0.6 m/s) and increased the area exposed to low wall shear stress (< 0.125 Pa) within the region of the aneurysm by up to 10%. Consequently, it managed to affect the likelihood of thrombosis resulting from the aggregation of red blood cells and platelets. Based on these promising results, further research into auxetic stent designs is warranted. The unique combination of blood flow-restoring properties offered by auxetic stents makes them a compelling avenue for exploration as a potential solution to the limitations posed by current stent designs in the treatment of aortic diseases.