CFD Model of Dynamic Thrombus Growth With and Without Shear Rate Dependant Deposition

Thrombosis can result in acute arterial occlusion thereby causing cerebrovascular accidents and myocardial infarction. However, diagnosing the risk of developing thrombosis is difficult due to the limited understanding of how platelets are transported, adhere, and accumulate in flowing blood. A clinician might be ably better at predicting a patient’s risk for thrombosis with an understanding of how a thrombus forms and why it occludes an artery. Thrombo-occlusion occurs in a complex interaction of biological reactions, fluid mechanics, and structural mechanics. Arterial thrombus usually forms on a ruptured atherosclerotic plaque, which is commonly found in specific arteries. Computational models of thrombogenesis may be used to compare the relative effects of the wide variety of factors involved with thrombosis. Such models are much easier to control and change than experiments. Most previous studies have focused on initial platelet adhesion and a short period thereafter. This study is focused on a growing thrombus past initial platelet attachment to the point of full occlusion, which is the dominant problem with a thrombotic event.