Patient‐specific computational modeling of endovascular aneurysm repair: State of the art and future directions

Abstract

Endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) has become the preferred intervention option for aortic aneurysms and dissections. This is because EVAR is much less invasive than the alternative open surgery repair. While in‐hospital mortality rates are smaller for EVAR than open repair (1%–2% vs. 3%–5%), the early benefits of EVAR are lost after 3 years due to larger rates of complications in the EVAR group. Clinicians follow instructions for use (IFU) when possible, but are left with personal experience on how to best proceed and what choices to make with respect to stent‐graft (SG) model choice, sizing, procedural options, and their implications on long‐term outcomes. Computational modeling of SG deployment in EVAR and tissue remodeling after intervention offers an alternative way of testing SG designs in silico, in a personalized way before intervention, to ultimately select the strategies leading to better outcomes. Further, computational modeling can be used in the optimal design of SGs in cases of complex geometries. In this review, we address some of the difficulties and successes associated with computational modeling of EVAR procedures. There is still work to be done in all areas of EVAR in silico modeling, including model validation, before models can be applied in the clinic, but much progress has already been made. Critical to clinical implementation are current efforts focusing on developing fast algorithms that can achieve (near) real‐time solutions, as well as ways of dealing with inherent uncertainties related to patient aortic wall degradation on an individualized basis. We are optimistic that EVAR modeling in the clinic will soon become a reality to help clinicians optimize EVAR interventions and ultimately reduce EVAR‐associated complications.

A computational program for automated surgical planning of fenestrated endovascular repair

“…It is worth noting that extensive work has been done using finite-element modeling to predict tissue deformation that arises following implantation of fenestrated stent grafts 13 – 15 . Avril et al 16 provide a good review of predictive modeling of EVAR in clinical applications, including virtual stent graft deployment simulation based on CT preoperative imaging, and post-EVAR blood flow dynamics 13 , 15 – 17 . One such study of interventional modeling is authored by Derycke et al 18 .…”

Impact of thoracic endovascular aortic repair on aortic biomechanics: Integration of in silico and ex vivo analysis using porcine model

“…Firstly, the present study promotes the integration of different methodologies to have a comprehensive analysis of TEVAR biomechanics. The current literature proposes indeed several in silico simulations (based on structural finite element, computational fluid‐dynamics, or fluid‐structure interaction analysis) 40 or experimental tests 32 but there are few studies integrating the two approaches 41 . Moreover, our study is fostering such an integration by inputting the experimental data as source of in silico analysis.…”

Mapping the use of computational modelling and simulation in clinics: A survey

“…These include both technical (validation, testing, integration) and legal & ethical challenges (regulation, costs and access). However, increased numbers of experiences have been reporting the use of in silico tools in clinics (24)(25)(26)(27). This confirms a slow transformation which is likely to be happening in the real clinical world, but not necessarily captured timely by the literature.…”