A model for stress analysis of stenosed coronary arteries using the fluid structure interaction method

The bifurcation of the left coronary artery is one of the most critical sites for atherosclerotic plaque development, where rupture initiation can lead to arterial failure and subsequent heart attack. This study aimed to investigate the variation in wall shear stress and von Mises stress at this bifurcation due to plaque formation. A three-dimensional (3D) biomechanical model of a bifurcated coronary artery was developed. Three plaques were modelled for the three branches of the left main (LM), left anterior descending (LAD), and left circumflex (LCx). Fluid-structure interaction models were analysed using the finite element method in ANSYS Fluent. Blood flow was assumed to be laminar, incompressible, and Newtonian in nature. Results showed that wall shear stress peaked at the entrance of the bifurcation in each branch, and both wall shear stress and von Mises stress increased with plaque height. Interestingly, longer plaques were associated with reduced von Mises stress within the arterial wall. These findings provide insight into stress distribution patterns that may contribute to plaque vulnerability and arterial rupture risk.