Comparison of small symptomatic and asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms based on computational fluid dynamics analysis

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare the hemodynamic parameters of symptomatic and asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) to explore the risk factors for AAA rupture. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 26 patients with symptomatic small AAAs and 60 patients with asymptomatic small AAAs. Computational fluid dynamics methods were used to compare hemodynamic characteristics between the symptomatic and asymptomatic groups and to evaluate risk factors for the occurrence of symptomatic AAAs. RESULTS: The maximum diameters in the symptomatic and asymptomatic groups were 49.7 ± 4.94 mm and 48.4 ± 4.55 mm, respectively. Wall shear stress values at turbulent flow regions in the symptomatic and asymptomatic groups were 0.0098 ± 0.0084 Pa versus 0.0174 ± 0.0068 Pa, respectively. Shear stress values at the site with maximal blood flow impact force in the symptomatic and asymptomatic groups were 1.13 ± 0.466 Pa and 2.04 ± 0.42 Pa, respectively. The areas of the intra-luminal thrombus in the section with the maximum diameter in the symptomatic and asymptomatic groups were 952.19 ± 413.53 mm(2) versus 646.63 ± 296.88 mm(2), respectively. CONCLUSION: The wall shear stress in the symptomatic group was lower than that in the asymptomatic group.