Computational fluid dynamics analysis on endoscopy of main left coronary artery: An application of applied mathematics

Abstract

The endoscopy of a coronary arterial segment having a symmetric emergence of plaque at its innermost region is numerically modeled via computational fluid dynamics toolbox Open-FOAM. The considered left coronary artery for this model has a radius of 2 mm and span of 10 mm. The formation of plaque inside the artery that is a stenosis has length 2 mm and height 0.82 mm. The catheter used for this analysis has a diameter of 1 mm with a balloon over it with a height of 0.53 mm. The blood flow rate considered for this analysis has a range 2.00 ml/s to 2.50 ml/s. The fluid under consideration for this endoscopy review is the non-Newtonian Casson model. The mesh illustrations are arranged for the proposed model with numerical simulations of velocity, pressure profile and streamlines. The narrow channel formed due to assembly of stenosis and balloon over catheter inside this arterial segment has developed some swirling flow profile with turbulence effects just after the flow leaves the stenosis plus balloon region. Although this disturbance caused due to narrowing of channel has made the flow slightly turbulent, the flow eventually leaves the arterial segment again as a laminar flow. To cure coronary artery disease, catheterization, and balloon dilation of stenosed arteries is performed to locate the position and shape of stenosis. A catheter is inserted inside the body through a minor cut and then it is moved inside arteries to place it exactly at the stenosis location. A balloon is placed at front of that catheter and the stenosed region can be opened wide by using balloon dilation.