Hemodynamic study in 3D printed stenotic coronary artery models: experimental validation and transient simulation

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Fluid Dynamics

Background:

• Atherosclerosis significantly reduces blood supply and is a leading cause of death globally.
• Understanding blood flow dynamics in stenotic arteries is crucial for disease management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To numerically and experimentally investigate blood flow in 3D printed stenotic coronary arteries.
• To analyze the impact of stenosis severity on flow patterns and wall shear stress.
• To compare multiphase and single-phase blood flow models.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 3D printing to create realistic models of stenotic coronary arteries.
• Conducted numerical simulations for both steady and pulsatile blood flow conditions.
• Performed experimental measurements of flow dynamics and wall shear stress.
• Investigated multiphase mixture and single-phase modeling approaches.

Main Results:

• Stenosis exceeding 50% led to disturbed blood flow downstream of the constriction.
• A significant increase in wall shear stress was observed at the stenosis throat.
• Multiphase modeling showed only minor differences compared to single-phase modeling immediately after the stenosis.

Conclusions:

• Stenosis severity critically impacts coronary blood flow dynamics and wall shear stress.
• 3D printed models provide a valuable platform for studying atherosclerosis.
• Current modeling approaches offer comparable predictions for key hemodynamic parameters in this context.