Numerical simulation of blood flow in a curved textile vascular prosthesis

Woven and knitted cardiovascular prostheses are tubular structures made of polyester filaments. They present particular mechanical properties linked to the wavy form of their walls, allowing them to be used in curved configurations. Pulsatile blood flows have been studied in bent textile prosthesis. The results obtained showed velocity peaks involving high-shear stress zones and turbulence phenomenon inside the graft. The flow velocity distribution near a prosthetic surface is strongly influenced by the crimping morphology. A local flow analysis is imperative in understanding pathologies implying hemodynamic factors and in optimizing the prosthesis design.