Modeling Geometries of Anastomosis Surgeries

Anastomosis is a medical procedure involving the attachment of two channels, often between blood vessels or two loops of the intestine, as treatment for blocked channels or diseased tissues. When attaching channels, specific points require an incision and deformation of the tissue, which forms conical structures. Due to the resultant structures, localized stress points form. These stress points can lead to tissue damage and the need for more surgical intervention. We use ABAQUS, a computational software, to employ finite element analysis to model different conical structures that form due to surgical geometries. By modeling materials as cylinders and utilizing thermal expansion to create a wedge of growing excess angle, we can characterize the resultant conical structures. This project compares experimentally validated conical structures on flat planes to more complex resultant structures on cylindrical channels to apply to surgeries. The project aims to determine where and how conical structures and stress localizations form in cylindrical materials.