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Dynamics of pulsatile flow in fractal models of vascular branching networks

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Abstract

Efficient regulation of blood flow is critically important to the normal function of many organs, especially the brain. To investigate the circulation of blood in complex, multi-branching vascular networks, a computer model consisting of a virtual fractal model of the vasculature and a mathematical model describing the transport of blood has been developed. Although limited by some constraints, in particular, the use of simplistic, uniformly distributed model for cerebral vasculature and the omission of anastomosis, the proposed computer model was found to provide insights into blood circulation in the cerebral vascular branching network plus the physiological and pathological factors which may affect its functionality. The numerical study conducted on a model of the middle cerebral artery region signified the important effects of vessel compliance, blood viscosity variation as a function of the blood hematocrit, and flow velocity profile on the distributions of flow and pressure in the vascular network.

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Acknowledgment

The authors acknowledge the constructive comments made by the reviewers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), PO Box 56, Highett, VIC, 3190, Australia

    Anh Bui, Ilija D. Šutalo, Richard Manasseh & Kurt Liffman

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  1. Anh Bui
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  2. Ilija D. Šutalo
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  3. Richard Manasseh
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  4. Kurt Liffman
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Correspondence to Anh Bui.

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Bui, A., Šutalo, I.D., Manasseh, R. et al. Dynamics of pulsatile flow in fractal models of vascular branching networks. Med Biol Eng Comput 47, 763–772 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-009-0492-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-009-0492-6

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