The Wall Apposition Evaluation for a Mechanical Embolus Retrieval Device

A computational evaluation approach to the wall apposition of a cerebral mechanical emboli retrieval device (MERD) is presented. The typical enclosed multilattice structure, manufactured from the thin-walled Nitinol tube, consists of repeated "V"-shaped unit cells. During interventional thrombectomy, the MERD system is delivered inside an artery stenosis segment to capture emboli and restore cerebral blood flow. The wall apposition, which deteriorates during embolus capture, occurs during system migration along the tortuous intracranial vessel. The commercial finite element analysis (FEA) solver ABAQUS 6.10 Standard and user subroutine (UMAT/Nitinol) are utilized to study the ability to remain in close contact with the curved vessel wall during migration. In this numerical analysis, the influence of the contacting interference loadings on structure deformation and strain field distribution is obtained and analyzed. The results indicate that the middle segment of the MERD seriously contracts or collapses inside the curved vessel. In addition, the peak strain is in the apex flow-prone region and maintains at the safe range.