| The study of arterial hemodynamics involves the analysis of two primary quantities, pressure and flow waveforms, to characterize the propagation of waves from the heart to the peripheral vascular beds. Numerous models such as lumped models and network models have been proposed to explain and describe the wave propagation. But these models are lack of accurate predictions of geometrical and mechanical perturbations resulting in changes in propagation phenomena. To provide accurate and fast solutions for the propagation changes a new transmission line model was developed and tested to prove its performance.; A tapered tube model which is a series of uniform segments while changing its radius accordingly along the arterial system was analyzed by frequency domain analysis. The calculated pressure and flow waveforms for human arterial system matched well with previously reported results and captured well known characteristics of propagation. And then this model was expanded to simulate aorto-iliac bifurcation, total occlusion or restenosis, arterial stenosis, vascular graft insertion, and antihypertensive drug response. Each of physiological conditions mentioned above was studied extensively to investigate its effect on vascular system by comparing pressure and flow waveform changes.; Computational fluid dynamics technique utilizing Navier-Stokes equations has been used to study microstructure of blood flow within a confined region and could be used as an alternative to pursue the same goal. To explore the possibility a simulation of a medical device, chest drainage system, was conducted as an example. Two geometrical configurations, chest drain with circular side holes and open channel, closed cavity chest drain, were studied and compared based on its mass flow rate changes. |
