Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling of Aerosol Particle Transport through Lung Airway Mucosa

Abstract

Delivery of aerosols to the lungs have great potential for the treatment of various lung diseases. However, the lungs are coated by a protective mucus layer whose complex properties make this form of delivery difficult. Mucus is non-Newtonian and cleared from the lungs over time by ciliated cells. Further, its gel-like structure hinders the diffusion of particles through it. Any aerosolized lung disease treatment must have certain properties to circumvent this barrier, and these properties may vary between diseases, drugs, and patients. Using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling, a model of this mucus layer was constructed such that the diffusion of an impacted aerosol might be studied. The model predicts what amount of a particle of a certain size might be expected to penetrate the mucus and reach the underlying tissue, as well as the distance downstream of the dosage site where concentration is maximized. Using this information, a personalized treatment plan may be designed. The model maintains modularity so that various lung regions and patient health states may be simulated.