Computation of steady three-dimensional flow in a model of the basilar artery

The flow in the basilar artery arises from the merging of the flows from the two vertebral arteries. To study the flow phenomena in the basilar artery, computations have been performed using a finite element (FE) method. We consider steady flow in a geometrically symmetric confluence. For simplicity, channels with a rectangular cross-section have been used. Both symmetric and asymmetric flow cases have been considered. The results show that for the Reynolds number of interest the flow downstream of the junction is highly three-dimensional, and that the flow at the end of the basilar artery, where it splits again, will not be fully developed. The computed phenomena have been confirmed by laser Doppler velocity measurements.