Preprint on Mechanical Modeling of Neurovascular Flow Diverters

3 August 2026

In their new preprint, “Mechanical Modeling of Braided Neurovascular Flow Diverters using a Beam-to-Beam and Beam-to-Surface Contact Formulation,” Martin Frank, Ivo Steinbrecher, Matthias Mayr, and Alexander Popp present a structural-mechanics-based modeling framework for braided neurovascular flow diverters that is entirely based on open-source simulation tools. The framework combines a flexible parametric description of interwoven device geometries, geometrically exact Simo–Reissner beam theory, and explicit beam-to-beam and beam-to-surface contact formulations.

The framework is assessed using three literature-based test cases covering device behavior under axial tension, radial compression, and stepwise diameter variation. These cases evaluate the characteristic length–diameter relation and axial force response, radial pressure–diameter behavior, and geometry-sensitive quantities, including the clinically relevant metal coverage ratio. By integrating parametric device generation, beam mechanics, contact treatment, and validation, the proposed framework establishes a mechanically consistent foundation for future patient-specific deployment simulations.

Frank, M., Steinbrecher, I., Mayr, M., Popp, A. (2026): Mechanical Modeling of Braided Neurovascular Flow Diverters Using a Beam-to-Beam and Beam-to-Surface Contact Formulation. Preprint, submitted for publication. arXiv