Atherosclerosis is a localized complication dependent on both the rheology and the arterial response to blood pressure. Fluid–structure interaction (FSI) study can be effectively used to understand the local haemodynamics and study the development and progression of atherosclerosis. Although numerical investigations of atherosclerosis are well documented, research on the influence of blood pressure as a result of the response to physio–social factors like anxiety, mental stress, and exercise is scarce. In this work, a three-dimensional (3D) Fluid–Structure Interaction (FSI) study was carried out for normal and stenosed patient-specific carotid artery models. Haemodynamic parameters such as Wall Shear Stress (WSS) and Oscillatory Shear Index (OSI) are evaluated for normal and hypertension conditions. The Carreau–Yasuda blood viscosity model was used in the FSI simulations, and the results are compared with the Newtonian model. The results reveal that high blood pressure increases the peripheral resistance, thereby reducing the WSS. Higher OSI occurs in the region with high flow recirculation. Variation of WSS due to changes in blood pressure and blood viscosity is important in understanding the haemodynamics of carotid arteries. This study demonstrates the potential of FSI to understand the causes of atherosclerosis due to altered blood pressures.

Atherosclerosis is one of the most common cardiovascular diseases leading to high morbidity. The study of arterial dynamics using fluid–structure interaction (FSI) technique by taking into account the physiology of flow, the critical hemodynamic parameters can be determined which plays a crucial role in predictive medicine. Due to advances in the computational facilities, coupled field analysis such as FSI can facilitate understanding of the mechanics of stenosis progression and its early diagnosis. In this study a two-way FSI analysis is carried out using modified Navier–Stokes equations as the governing equations of blood flow for determining hemodynamic parameters. The arterial wall has been described at different linear elastic modulus and compared with hyperelastic Mooney–Rivlin model to evaluate the effect of different arterial stiffness on hemodynamics. The Mooney–Rivlin model predicts flow reduction with the severe backflow at arterial bifurcation resulting in decreased shear stress and oscillatory behavior. Furthermore, these findings may be used in understanding the advantages and disadvantages of using hyperelastic artery model in numerical simulations to better understand and predict the variable that causes cardiovascular diseases and as a diagnostic tool. In the present study, variation due to change in arterial wall properties such as linear elastic and Mooney Rivlin hyperelastic and its influence on hemodynamics are investigated.

The geometry of carotid bifurcation is a crucial contributing factor to the localization of atherosclerotic lesions. Currently, studies on carotid bifurcation geometry are limited to the region near to bifurcation. This study aimed to determine the influence of carotid bifurcation geometry on the blood flow using numerical simulations considering magnitude of haemodynamic parameters in the extended regions of carotid artery. In the present study, haemodynamic analysis is carried out using the non-Newtonian viscosity model for patient-specific geometries consisting of both Left and Right carotid arteries. A 3D patient-specific geometric model is generated using MIMICS, and a numerical model is created using ANSYS. The results obtained from patient-specific cases are compared. The influence of geometric features such as lumen diameter, bifurcation angle, and tortuosity on the haemodynamics parameters such as velocity, WSS, pressure, Oscillatory Shear Index (OSI), and Time-Averaged Wall Shear Stress (TAWSS) are compared. The results demonstrate significant changes in the flow regime due to the geometric shape of the carotid artery. It is observed that the lower value of TAWSS occurs near the bifurcation region and carotid bulb region. In addition, the higher value of the (OSI) is observed in the Internal Carotid Artery (ICA) and the tortuous carotid artery region. However, it is also observed that apart from the bifurcation angle, other factors, such as tortuosity and area ratio, play a significant role in the flow dynamics of the carotid artery.

Ocular surface disorders such as Lid Wiper Epitheliopathy (LWE), Superior Epithelial Arcuate Lesion (SEAL), and contact lens-induced Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency (LSCD) as well as Superior Limbic Keratoconjunctivitis (SLK) affect one’s quality of life. Hence, it is imperative to investigate the underlying causes of these ocular surface disorders. During blink, the undersurface of the eyelid tends to interact with the cornea and the conjunctiva. The presence of a contact lens can add to the biomechanical frictional changes on these surfaces. To estimate these changes with and without a contact lens, a finite element model (FEM) of the eyelid wiper, eyeball, and contact lens was developed using COMSOL Multiphysics. Biomechanical properties such as von Mises stress (VMS) and displacement were calculated. Our study concluded that (a) maximum VMS was observed in the lid wiper in the absence of contact lens in the eye and (b) maximum VMS was observed in the superior 1.3 mm of the cornea in the presence of the contact lens in the eye. Thus, the development of friction-induced ocular surface disorders such as LWE, SLK, SEAL, and LSCD could be attributed to increased VMS. FEA is a useful simulation tool that helps us to understand the effect of blink on a normal eye with and without CL.

The application of numerical methods like CFD to understand hemodynamics in arteries has excellent potential to solve complex flow problems. In recent years, CFD has been primarily used in the hemodynamics of the carotid artery due to advances in computational resources. This technique is widely used to obtain knowledge on hemodynamics, predict the risk factors for the development and progression of the atherosclerotic lesion, and analyze local flow profiles due to changes in the carotid artery geometry. This fundamental study will be supportive in observing the blood flow behavior through arteries and studying arterial diseases. The present study investigates three different subject-specific carotid bifurcation models under altered blood pressure conditions. Subject-specific 3D carotid bifurcation modeling is carried out using Materialize software. Unsteady flow simulation is conducted in ANSYS Fluent under the rigid wall and Newtonian conditions. The haemodynamic parameters such as vorticity, helicity, and time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS) were evaluated to understand better the beginning and progression of atherosclerotic plaques in the bifurcation. Also, the influence of geometric variation in the bifurcation region was investigated, and it was observed that this region causes significant vortex formation zones. A noticeable reduction in velocity and backflow formation was observed, which reduced the shear stress. It is established that the regions of low TAWSS along the bifurcation region are likely to develop atherosclerosis.