Variations in pulsatile flow around stenosed microchannel depending on viscosity

In studying blood flow in the vessels, the characteristics of non-Newtonian fluid are important, considering the role of viscosity in rheology. Stenosis, which is an abnormal narrowing of the vessel, has an influence on flow behavior. Therefore, analysis of blood flow in stenosed vessels is essential. However, most of them exist as simulation outcomes. In this study, non-Newtonian fluid was observed in stenosed microchannels under the pulsatile flow condition. A polydimethylsiloxane channel with 60% stenosis was fabricated by combining an optic fiber and a petri dish, resembling a mold. Three types of samples were prepared by changing the concentrations of xanthan gum, which induces a shear thinning effect (phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution as the Newtonian fluid and two non-Newtonian fluids mimicking normal blood and highly viscous blood analog). The viscosity of the samples was measured using a Y-shaped microfluidic viscometer. Thereafter, velocity profiles were analyzed under the pulsatile flow condition using the micro-particle image velocimetry (PIV) method. For the Newtonian fluid, the streamline was skewed more to the wall of the channel. The velocity profile of the non-Newtonian fluid was generally blunter than that of the Newtonian fluid. A highly oscillating wall shear stress (WSS) during the pulsatile phase may be attributed to such a bluntness of flow under the same wall shear rate condition with the Newtonian fluid. In addition, a highly viscous flow contributes to the variation in the WSS after passing through the stenosed structures. A similar tendency was observed in simulation results. Such a variation in the WSS was associated with plaque instability or rupture and damage of the tissue layer. These results, related to the influence on the damage to the endothelium or stenotic lesion, may help clinicians understand relevant mechanisms.