Endovascular procedures rely on navigating guidewires, catheters and other devices through tortuous vasculature to treat disease. A critical challenge in these procedures is catheter herniation, in which the device deviates from its intended path, often irrecoverably. To elucidate the mechanics of herniation, we developed a physical flow model of the aortic arch that enables direct measurement of device curvature during experimentally simulated neuroendovascular procedures conducted from an upper arterial access. Combined with measurements of initial, unstressed device shapes and flexural rigidities, the method enables the experimental estimation of the device bending energies during these simulated procedures. Characteristic energy profiles revealed distinct stages in both herniation and successful navigation, governed by the interplay between device properties and vascular anatomy. A deterministic progression from successful navigation to herniation was identified, with catheter systems following paths determined by measurable energy barriers. Increasing guidewire stiffness or decreasing catheter stiffness reduced the energy barrier for successful navigation while increasing that for herniation. This framework enables the prediction of endovascular herniation risk and offers unique insight into improved device design and clinical decision-making.
Keywords: catheterization; endovascular surgery; instability; neurosurgery; vascular surgery.