Investigating the Role of Fluid Dynamics and Wall Mechanics in Atherosclerosis, Plaque Rupture, and Plaque Excavation in the Human Carotid Bifurcation

Abstract

Atherosclerosis affects millions of people worldwide and can lead to heart attack and stroke. The human carotid artery bifurcation is a critical site often affected by plaque and atherosclerotic formations. Over time, atherosclerosis can grow from mild to severe depending on both mechanical and biological responses in the artery wall. A computational fluid dynamics model of the human carotid bifurcation with fluid structure interaction has been created to explore the nature of atherogenesis, plaque excavation and plaque rupture. Artery geometry, plaque geometry and boundary conditions were based on magnetic resonance imaging scans and spectral Doppler ultrasound scans obtained from patients at the University of New Mexico Hospital. In the current study, results for fluid velocity and wall shear stress corroborate results of previous studies that the region of plaque stenosis is characterized by low flow velocities, reversed flow, strong secondary flows and low wall shear stress. Fluid structure interaction results of the model support theories that these regions are further characterized by high arterial wall strain. Doppler ultrasound scans nonlinear the measures of arterial wall pressure, wall shear stress, wall shear stress and the oscillatory shear index at different degrees of The of the CT of a the first of pertinent and to