The Effects of Flow Wave form on the Flow Characteristics in Tapered Vascular Grafts

유량 파형이 데이퍼형 인조혈관 유동에 미치는 영향

The patency of small size vascular grafts is poor, and the blood flow characteristics in the artery graft anastomosis are suspected as one of the important factors influencing intimal hyperplasia. Disturbed flow patterns caused by sixte and compliance mismatch generate unfavorable flow environment which promotes intimal thickening. Tapered vascular yuts are suggested in order to reduce sudden expansion near the anastomosis. The photochromic flow visualization method is used to measure the flout fields in the end-to-end anastomosis model under the carotid and femoral artery flow wave form. The results show that flow disturbance near the anastomosis is diminished in the tapered grafts comparing to the tubular graft. As the divergent ang1e decreases, we can reduce the low and oscillatory wall shear stress zone which is prone to intimal hyperplasia. The flow wave form effects the wall shear rate dis- tribution significantly. The steep deceleration and back flow in the femoral flow wAve form cause low mean wall shear rate and high oscillatory shear index.