The erythrocyte-stasis-meter (ESM): a device to determine a universal parameter for the flow characteristics of blood.

Abstract

A new experimental method is described which permits estimation of flow ability of blood: measuring the yield shear stress with the erythrocyte-stasis-meter (ESM). This method is based on the phenomenon that pathological blood under low pressure behaves like a solid body. Knowing the pressure difference at the transition point from solid to fluid behavior and the geometry of the channel, the yield shear stress can be calculated.