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Finite Element Analysis of Thrombosis Considering Windkessel Effect

Conference Paper · December 2019

DOI: 10.1109/EICT48899.2019.9068859

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 4th International Conference on Electrical Information and Communication Technology (EICT), 20-22 December 2019, Khulna, Bangladesh
FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF THROMBOSIS
CONSIDERING WINDKESSEL EFFECT
Abu Syed Sajib1, Kazi Tanvir Islam2, Mohammad Nooruddin3, Swarnali Roy4
Khulna University of Engineering & Technology, Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology, Bangladesh
syedsajib016@gmail.com1, kazi.tanvr@gmail.com2, mohammadnooruddin58@gmail.com3, swarnali.spring14@gmail.com4
Abstract Finite element (FE) analysis is considered as a fast
& efficient mathematical approach which has gained profound
importance for realizing biological events like thrombosis. This
paper introduces a computational model that analyzes the effects
of thrombosis using combining FE analysis with coupled fluid
dynamics-structure interaction and coupled fluid dynamics-Darcy
mechanism. It also meticulously determines the significances due
to different sizes of clots in the Middle Cerebral Artery (MCA).
Windkessel effect verifies the regression of clogged arteries elastic
recoiling capability. Consequently, this appraisal will encourage
better comprehension of the biophysical procedure of thrombosis
and bolster medicinal professionals to make quicker relieving
strides.
Keywords Thrombosis, Finite element, Clot, Middle cerebral
artery, Windkessel effect, Elastic recoil.
I. INTRODUCTION
An infraction in the blood supply that results in the loss of
brain function is a stroke. This disturbance is due to either
ischemia (lack of blood flow) or hemorrhage [1].Thrombosis
causes ischemia while bleeding of blood vessels of the brain
results in hemorrhagic stroke. It can occur not only into the
subarachnoid space on the periphery of cerebrum but also into
the parenchyma tissue. [2] Deprivation of oxygen and gradual
loss of brain cells occur as a consequence. Accordingly, the
influenced zone of the cerebrum can't work regularly, which
may bring about a powerlessness to move limbs on one side,
inability to comprehend or formulate speech or an impairment
of one side of the visual field [3].
Fig. 1. Pictorial view of strokes
978-1-7281-6040-5/19/$31.00 ©2019 IEEE
The popular diagnostic method for stroke is CT, MRI and
contrast venography [4], [5]. Medical treatment can easily avert
the emergence of a thrombus. But the early detection and
predicting the subsequent effects of a thrombus is a hefty task
as no specific indication can be traced before the stroke. So,
there is a need for a mathematical model that can analyze and
predict different stages of thrombosis arises.
Many researches had been done on the particular field of the
computational modeling of blood flow and thrombosis [6] [7].
Nonetheless, they predominantly considered 2D approaches
[8], [9] and analyzed venous thrombosis. Some considered only
blood flow without taking the artery wall into account [8].
Some work does not consider the realistic geometric scenario
such as actual length, diameter of the artery [10]. Hence, a new
wave of technology is needed for figuring out the problem in a
substantial manner.
This paper commits all of its efforts in analyzing and
observing various stages of thrombosis in MCA region. MCA
region is selected because it witnesses over 90 percent of the
total occurrence of stroke. This paper graphically verifies the
assumption that was agreed upon through mathematical
process.
We have organized the paper like that: Segment II proposes
the complete methodology. Segment III includes proposed
modeling of Middle Cerebral Artery and Thrombosis. Section
IV includes the result analysis and discussion and finally
section V includes the conclusion of the whole work done in
this paper.
II. METHODOLOGY
Finite element model can easily program and analyze a
particular problem. The time consuming, troublesome and
tedious act of programming is not the right approach for finding
out the correct result for this project. Also the results acquired
through this method are rarely uniform in nature. That is why
the simulation software was used so often.
Primary design will be done in SOLIDWORKS 2017.
COMSOL MULTIPHYSICS 5.2a, one of the most powerful
simulation tools is used for this purpose.
A. Finite Element Method (FEM)
Finite Element Method (FEM) incorporates result of
numerous controls, including mechanics, scientific material
science and computational strategies. Theory based on
inspection, computations and demonstrations. The process of
finding out something through computation is a revolutionary
act that is done by the researchers of modern world. It is so
much unique due to the limitations of existing theoretical
knowledge around us. [11].

FEM can nearly analyze any intricate designing structure in

order to acquire different mechanical properties in various
engineering fields. Because of the simplicity, the technique
shown below was utilized in our proposed work.

Fig. 3. Elastic Recoil

III. MODELING OF MCA & THROMBOSIS

Fig. 2. Block diagram of FEM process in physical simulation
B. Windkessel effect
Windkessel effect is a phrase used in therapeutic science to
speak to the condition of the vein beat waves to the extent the
communication between the volume of the stroke and the aorta
structures and flexible conduits. It fundamentally decreases the
wavering of circulatory strain over cardiovascular cycle.
It diminishes as people become old because the elasticity of
the arteries gradually becomes more rigid. A lack of elastin
make it happen. However, the formation of a clot in the artery
can also result in the reduction of this effect. The depletion of
this effect makes way to an imbalance in the blood flow resulting
in an increase systolic pressure. Hence, it makes having a stroke
more likely.
Different perimeters are considered while designing the
model. The flow dynamics of the model is studied through
Computational Flow Dynamics (CFD). In this work, the MCA
(length 0.5-3 cm) with branches is chosen and therefore laminar
flow model of blood is considered. The blood flow is
considered time dependent. The MCA region is designed and
layered with muscle. Deformed geometry is used to analyze the
elasticity of artery. Solid mechanics is used on muscle &
arteries while fluid mechanics is used on blood.
A. Modeling of Middle Cerebral Artery (MCA)
The structure of the model was designed using software
called SOLIDWORKS 2017 in 3D.The model was imported
into COMSOL Multiphysics 5.2a.
one of the
most typical structure of an artery. The mesh view of the
geometric model (With clot) is shown in figure 4.The model
contains three domains. The meshing was done for each domain.
Complete mesh consists of 163270 domain elements, 17668
boundary elements, and 1985 edge elements.

C. Elastic recoil
The propensity of the tissue to return to its primary structure
once deformed and to intercede against any type of alteration is
called elastic recoil.

The elastic recoil shown in figure 3 creates blood pressure

by enabling the artery to extend normally while exerting an
inward force. As a result, the artery gradually retains its original
shape. This mechanism keeps the blood pressure of a normal
person between 70-120 mmHg. [12]
 eloquent function which correlates the distribution of
pressure over time:

when (1)
when (2)

The blood flow follows the above described equations. The

small time constraint is chosen due to the scarcity of better
GPU. These equations were implemented in COMSOL
Multiphysics using Piecewise function. In figure 5, the
variation of pulsatile blood flow was showed.

Fig. 4. Mesh view of MCA

This model varies from previous model at certain points.

Here the velocity is not defined rather the pressure dictates
velocity whereas in the other models the velocity was constant
and it was 0.583 m/s [10].

The MCA length is considered 3 cm where the diameter of

inner and outer part at 0.3 cm and 0.48 cm has been kept
respectively. The material properties used in the simulation are
given in table I given below [10].

Fig. 5. Pulsatile blood flow

TABLE I. Material Properties

Material Property Value

Blood Density 1060 kg/m3 The laminar flow model interface has been utilized to
Dynamic 0.005 Pa.s calculate the velocity and pressure of the single-phase blood
Viscosity flow. Non-Newtonian fluids like blood is supported by this
Artery Wall Density 960 kg/m3 process. Laminar flow interface solves the equations which are
in fact the Navier-Stokes equations for conservation of
Poisson Ratio 0.45
momentum and continuity equation for conservation of mass
107 Pa
[12]. The mesh consists of 96743 domain elements, 9568
boundary elements, and 1141 edge elements.
The fat material i.e. the clot is a built-in material of the
software. Hence, it was taken and used from the software. IV. SIMULATION RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
Various properties like density (911 kg/m^3), thermal
conductivity (0.21 W/ [m*K]) were used. A. Distorting effect on velocity,pressure &stress
The mechanism of thrombosis can be observed by
analyzing three parameters of clogged artery. The three
B. Pulsatile Blood Flow parameters are: velocity, pressure & stress on the wall of the
The flow that that alternates it direction after a specific artery. By understanding the pattern through which thrombosis
amount of time is called pulsatile flow. In human body, occurs, a system can be developed to alert the patient.
blood flow depends on pressure.

As pressure is time dependent, blood flow is also time

dependent. It fluctuates between a minimal and a maximal
value
observation which is time-dependent in its nature, a very
 (a) (a)

(b) (b)

(c) (c)

Fig. 6. Velocity magnitude (a), pressure distribution (b) and stress Fig. 7. Graph of velocity (a), pressure (b) and stress (c) variation with
variation(c) of clotted MCA regards to clot size
 Generally the velocity of blood flow declines at the outlet
of the artery due to the creation of clot. Figure 6(a) supports this
statement by showing the massive decline of velocity at the
outlet of the artery. The graph of figure 7(a) obtained from the
simulated model shows the velocity changes inversely
proportional to the size of the clot. For instance, as the clot size
is raised by 60%, the velocity is decreased 3.9 times compared
to that of normal condition.
On the other hand, the pressure & stress maintains a
positively proportional relationship to clot size as shown in
graph from figure 7(b)-(c). Figure 6(b)-(c) suggests the increase
in pressure distribution and stress variation respectively. It can
be realized by observing the condition when the clot size is
raised by 60%. The pressure increases 9 times from 1.5 kPa, its
normal condition to 9.228 kPa which is nearly enough to cause
a stroke [13]. Meanwhile the stress rises up to a staggering 20
times which can easily cause a hemorrhage that results in a
stroke [10].
B. Regression of elastic capability
The arteries expand during a systole and recoils as blood
pressure (BP) falls during a diastole (figure 8(a)-(b)).The
variation of color from blue to deep yellow denotes the disparity
of pressure in ascending order.
(a)
(b)
Fig. 8. Clotted artery during diastolic phase (a) and systolic phase (b)
At present, the rate of inward blood flow is greater than
outward blood flow between the elastic arteries due to the
peripheral resistance. Hence, the impact of this process results
in a net storage of blood for the cycle of diastole. This process
works because of Windkessel effect which is dependent on the
elasticity of the arteries itself [14].
Fig. 9. Graph of elastic distortion of MCA
The graph showed in figure 9 states the gradual decline of
arteries elastic capability as the clot size increases. When the
pulse enters the systolic phase, the arteries expand in accordance
with Windkessel effect. However, as the clot develops inside the
artery, its internal structure begins to get damaged. So, the
arteries damaged by clotting cannot expand as much as the
tted MCA
can be expanded a mere 2 times during systole compared to a
massive 10 times during systole of a healthy MCA.
V. CONCLUSION
The artery is divided into a large number of capillaries. The
white matter in the brain is very difficult to design. So, porous
medium as a brain volume was proposed to serve the realistic
phenomena of capillaries. Using finite element analysis the
model simulated the proposed scenarios.
The detailed layout of the fluid flow in the artery was
investigated for velocity, blood pressure and artery wall stress.
The effect of thrombus formation on the elastic recoil ability of
arteries was observed. The result yields a realistic possibility of
detecting stroke before it occurs. So, the hypothesis was
confirmed through the proposed model, making it an effective
tool to prevent thrombosis.
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