Numerical simulation of oxygen mass transfer in a compliant curved tube model of a coronary artery

Arterial wall transport of blood-borne oxygen is essential for superficial arterial wall metabolism. The unique geometry and hemodynamics of coronary arteries curved over the heart surface may alter the O-2 transport pattern and lead to abnormalities of O-2 tension at the inner wall (epicardial surf ace) which may contribute to atherogenesis. This study focused on O-2 trans port in a compliant model of a curved coronary artery. A three-dimensional finite element model with moving boundaries was setup to simulate physiolog ical how and O-2 transport in coronary arteries. The full Navier-Stokes equ ations and the coupled conservation of species equation were solved simulta neously for typical coronary flow characteristics (aspect ratio=10, diamete r variation=6%, mean Reynolds number=150, unsteadiness parameter=3, Schmidt number=2700). The results indicate a large difference in O-2 wall flux (Sh erwood number [Sh]) between the outside (Sh about 55) and inside (Sh about 2) walls and imply that O-2 transport at the inner wall could be limited by the fluid phase. (C) 2000 Biomedical Engineering Society. [S0090-6964(oo)0 1101-2].