In Silico Evaluation of Local Hemodynamics Following Vena Cava Filter Deployment

Inferior vena cava (IVC) filters have become essential components in deep vein thrombosis treatment, and are particularly critical for preventing pulmonary embolisms in anticoagulation-resistant patients. Filter efficacy relies on maintaining IVC patency, or openness, by preventing filter-induced thrombosis following clot capture. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model has been developed to determine whether a candidate filter design elicits hemodynamic patterns that promote thrombus development. The CFD model yielded a steady-state flow solution describing blood velocity in the vicinity of an impermeable filter with various levels of clot accumulation. Filter and clot geometries were created based on filter explants after clot capture. Porous media flow within the clot was characterized using the Brinkman equations, whereas Non-Newtonian blood flow within the IVC was modeled using the Navier-Stokes equations. Clot porosity and permeability values were varied to simulate clot accumulation over time. Decreasing clot porosity and permeability resulted in higher wall shear stress (WSS), suggesting that clot maturity modulates thrombotic potential. Filter edge velocity increased from unoccluded to occluded filter state with nonuniform longitudinal and radial shear stress patterns, indicating that local thrombogenicity varies with both clot state and position.