TEVAR has developed rapidly. However, in order to obtain an effective proximal anchoring region, the injury of descending aorta near LSA leads to inevitable implantation in Z2 region. This position partially or completely blocks LSA, which leads to complications, such as claudication of the left upper arm and, in severe cases, a stroke[19]. Therefore, LSA revascularization in Z2 region after endovascular repair of thoracic aorta is very important. At present, there are many vascular reconstructions for LSA [20], including surgical bypass, chimney, fenestration technology, single stent technology and so on. Although different revascularization of LSA ensures good distal perfusion, it also changes its hemodynamics, as well as the occurrence and development of arteriosclerosis and thrombotic diseases (closely related to local hemodynamic changes) [21]. Therefore, we should be alert to the risk of acute thrombosis or long-term arteriosclerosis in LSA. However, observing the hemodynamic changes during the formation of atherosclerotic stenosis is limited, time-consuming, and involves ethical issues [22]. Therefore, it is very important to find an alternative, economical and effective method to study hemodynamic changes. At present, CFD is a research method of numerical simulation of hemodynamics with personalized or idealized model constructed by computer technology. CFD has the advantages of convenient operation, low costand short operation cycle. It can quantify hemodynamic indexes, such as pressure distribution, wall shear stress, and blood flow velocity. It can also simulate the development trend of vascular system diseases before and after treatment, and is also widely used in clinical research of these diseases [23]. Therefore, the focus of our research is to observe and compare the hemodynamic effects caused by the implantation of covered stent in Z2 area covering the ostium of LSA by CFD method, and to predict the long-term impact on LSA, so as to guide its clinical application.
Firstly, according to the theory of fluid mechanics, it is likely that the low luminal flow rate and velocity of liquid will reduce the shear stress on the lumen wall. The results of this study confirm that the overall flow at the distal end of LSA in model B was reduced, due to the obstruction of the LSA ostium by the stent. This reduction leads to a decreased average flow rate, and the overall wall pressure was also reduced. WSS is a mechanical force exerted by the blood flow on the surface of endothelial cells in the tangential direction. It is considered to be the most relevant mechanical factor for arteriosclerosis, stenosis, and plaque rupture[24]. A low wall shear stress increases the permeability of endothelial cells and interferes with the connection of arterial endothelial cells. This process results in the weakening of the barrier crossed by macromolecules, thus causing the increase of lipid uptake in atherosclerosis. Wall shear force is also negatively correlated with the number of smooth muscle cells. however, the exposure to a normal laminar shear force environment does not affect the number of smooth muscle cells[25]. Half covering the LSA ostium could obviously reduce the blood flow at the distal end of the LSA and also lower the wall shear stress. As such, it may accelerate arteriosclerosis at the distal end of the LSA in many ways, this sis an aspect worthing of clinical investigation.
Secondly, blood can be regarded as a non-Newtonian fluid. When its velocity in blood vessels is low, the fluid particles move only axially (without any lateral movement) and the surrounding fluids are not mixed with each other. This flow pattern is called laminar flow. From the velocity nephograms of the two models, it could be noted that, after the steady laminar flow in the aorta flowed into the LSA, the blood flow state sharply changed, turbulence appeared at the far side of the blood flow bifurcation and the convex side of the blood vessel bent, which made the fluid have longitudinal and lateral velocities. As a result, momentum transfer occurred in the adjacent liquid layer. On the other hand, in model B, the blood flow state significantly changed after the ostium was partially blocked. The local flow velocity also increased, and the laminar flow pattern began to be disrupted, resulting in a lateral movement perpendicular to the main flow direction, followed by multiple small eddies. Simultaneously, in fluid mechanics, it is considered that the three-dimensional spiral flow mode has a greater pressure on the tube wall than the laminar linear flow mode, which causes intima and media proliferation, thickens the tube wall, hinders the clearance of the endoplasm in the tube wall, and causes connective tissue proliferation[26]. Therefore, in our study, it could be observed that the half coverage of the LSA ostium by the endograft could cause a turbulent state of the blood at the opening and distal end. This state generated an additional longitudinal vascular pressure, which could make normal blood vessels expand more easily. This expansion could damage the vascular endothelium of the subclavian artery. At the same time, the blood flow velocity in the turbulent region was significantly slowed down, which is beneficial for the deposition of blood components, by reducing the tight connection between endothelial cells, leading to lipid infiltration in the wall of the tube, and triggering inflammatory reactions. It is suggested that this operation can accelerate the process of secondary arteriosclerosis after the change of blood flow mode of the LSA.
Thirdly, when the blood flows through the stenosis and enters the anatomical expansion section, a downstream turbulent flow and low shear zone are formed. The movement, velocity, and pressure at all points in this space are extremely irregular, resulting in a disordered blood flow and an extremely slow local flow velocity. This low velocity prolongs the contact time between blood flow components and the interface, thus promoting the aggregation of platelets, lipoproteins, and other components against the wall, also strengthening the role of microthrombosis caused by platelet aggregation[27]. The volume fraction of red blood cells in the low-speed vortex region is also small, and local hypoxia is likely to occur. These alterations can result in lipid concentration, polarization, and macromolecular substance deposition, which leads to increased permeability of the blood vessel walls and intima damage. Consequently, the immune system is activated, leading to lipid substance deposition and intimal growth, thus easily inducing atherosclerotic plaque formation. In our study, we confirmed that the partial coverage LSA ostium model caused ostium stenosis, local flow velocity increases, distal flow velocity decreases, and large-scale turbulence. As such, the possibility of predicting long-term arteriosclerosis increased. On the other hand, the existence of turbulent and low velocity zones behind the stent membrane might induce an imbalance of the coagulation and fibrinolysis system in the blood flow, which may lead to acute thrombosis. Therefore, it is worthy of our consideration whether the patients undergoing this operation in the clinic should be routinely subjected to an anticoagulation procedure, because, even if a tiny thrombus is formed, once it is detached, it may cause a serious basilar artery embolism.