CFD simulation of arterial hypotension in a left anterior coronary artery section with potential clinical relevance

Abstract

ABSTRACT Atherosclerosis is a complex cardiovascular condition characterised by the buildup of fatty deposits, known as plaques, on the inner walls of arteries. Stenosis occurs when the narrowing of an artery becomes particularly pronounced due to the accumulation of plaque. This narrowed lumen leads to significant pressure drops during blood flow, which may lead to decreased blood flow to the target tissues. The current study focuses on conducting computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations of blood flow within a linear segment of the LAD (Left anterior descending) coronary artery, subject to differing degrees of atherosclerotic stenosis. The simulations are performed using COMSOL Multiphysics 5.6®. The study has computed pressure drops by considering the laminar flow of blood as a two-phase non-Newtonian fluid. The rheological characteristics have been modelled using the Carreau Yasuda model. It considers varying stenosis severities ranging from 10% to 90%, coupled with blood velocities spanning from 0.07 m/s to 0.2 m/s. Additionally, the findings have been compared to results generated using the Power Law model and Casson-Papanastasiou model for blood rheology. The pressure drop within the stenosed section has been correlated with stenosis percentages through power law models.