2011 Volume 6 Issue 2 Pages 79-88
Arterial stenoses consisting of atherosclerotic plaque are subject to mechanical forces under pulsatile blood flow that may cause plaque rupture, which often leads to heart attack or stroke. Arterial plaques vary in the relative quantity and spatial organization of their component parts. We developed a more realistic multi-component composition arterial stenosis model made of hydrogel. The stiffness parameter of the non-stenotic region of the model was similar to that of human coronary arteries. The soft hydrogels were used as a model of the plaque and lipid core. We used this stenosis model to evaluate plaque deformation under a pulsatile flow system that mimicked the diastolic predominant flow phenomenon. The flow rate, pressure and deformation of the stenosis model were examined. The flow rate was found to increase as the stiffness of the plaque decreased. Maximum deformation of the stenoses appeared in the upstream area and a softer plaque model lead to larger deformation. The position of the lipid core in the plaque model did not significantly affect the flow rate but was an important factor in deformation.
