Effect of a Time-Dependent Stenosis on Flow Through a Tube

Abstract

A common occurrence in the arterial system is the narrowing of arteries due to the development of atherosclerotic plaques or other types of abnormal tissue development. As these growths project into the lumen of the artery, the flow is disturbed and there develops a potential coupling between the growth and the blood flow through the artery. A discussion of the various possible consequences of this interaction is given. It is noted that very small growths leading to mild stenotic obstructions, although not altering the gross flow characteristics significantly, may be important in triggering biological mechanisms such as intimal cell proliferation or changes in vessel caliber. An analysis of the effect of an axially symmetric, time-dependent growth into the lumen of a tube of constant cross section through which a Newtonian fluid is steadily flowing is presented. This analysis is based on a simplified model in which the convective acceleration terms in the Navier-Stokes equations are neglected. Effect of growth on pressure distribution and wall shearing stress is given and possible biological implications are discussed.