Analysis of the impact of different branching angles on the coronary flow field based on fluid-structure interaction

Abstract

The bifurcation angle of the coronary artery can have an impact on blood flow velocity, especially in the narrow region, where the flow velocity becomes more pronounced, leading to further deterioration of the stenosis in that area. In order to investigate the effect of bifurcation angle on the coronary blood flow field, four bifurcation angle models were established in Solidworks, and a bidirectional fluid-solid coupling method was used to numerically simulate the blood distribution. The changes in the blood flow field at different periods were analyzed. The results showed that the blood flow velocity distribution was similar in the same model at different periods, with high flow velocity mainly concentrated in the coronary artery trunk and smooth branching flow velocity. The flow velocity was different at various periods, resulting in a large difference in the WSS range, which was most obvious during the peak diastolic period. The bifurcation angle had the most significant effect on TAWSS, and as the bifurcation angle increased, the area of the high TAWSS region continued to expand. A small amount of vortex at the bifurcation ridge affected the shear stress direction, resulting in a high OSI (>0.3) region in that area. In conclusion, the bifurcation angle has a significant effect on TAWSS, with the most significant fluctuation in the 37.5° to 42.5° range, and there may be a critical angle causing the fluctuation in between.