Three-dimensional numerical simulation of magnetic drug delivery in carotid artery with Eulerian-Lagrangian method: Injection point and magnetic field performance analysis

The treatments used to treat cancer and cardiovascular diseases (as the leading causes of human morbidity) include surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. However, these treatments have various critical side effects. Researchers have focused on magnetic targeted drug delivery systems to minimize these side effects. Nanoparticles (Nps) are used as drug carriers to deliver drugs to the target in magnetic drug delivery. An applied magnetic field can control, guide or deviate particles toward the desired location or direction. This study aims to analyze the effects of injection point and magnetic field parameters on the drug delivery efficacy and Nps guidance to the desired branch of the carotid artery. The two-phase Eulerian-Lagrangian method is implemented to simulate non-Newtonian laminar blood flow in a real 3D carotid artery obtained from a computed tomography scan (CT-scan). Results are presented in terms of hemodynamics contours and parameters, including velocity, wall shear stress (WSS), vorticity, and oscillatory shear index (OSI). Results indicate that the orientation and intensity of the magnet have a considerable influence on Nps, which can lead most of the particles (95%) to the desired branch. Developing an efficient connection between the magnetic field and the release point will lead to greater drug delivery efficacy at the desired location and reduce the number of input particles to the unfavorable location. Choosing different Nps releasing points, magnet’s orientations, positions, and intensity play fundamental roles in guiding particles through the desired branch.