A new viscoelastometer for studying the rheological properties of bronchial mucus in clinical practice

Issue title: New Methods in Biorheology. Proceedings of the International Symposium held in Nancy, France, 17–18 August 1983. A Satellite Symposium of the Fifth International Congress of Biorheology

Guest editors: J.F. Stoltz and E. Puchelle

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Duvivier, C.^a | Didelon, J.^a | Arnould, J.P.^a | Zahm, J.M.^b | Puchelle, E.^b | Kopp, C.^c | Obrecht, B.^c

Affiliations: [a] SC 23 INSERM, Plateau de Brabois, 54511 Vandoeuvre Les Nancy, France | [b] U. 14 INSERM, Plateau de Brabois, 54511 Vandoeuvre Les Nancy, France | [c] Institut de Mécanique des Fluides, Université Louis Pasteur, 67083 Strasbourg Cedex

Abstract: In clinical practice, a wide variety of drugs are given to modify the rheological properties of bronchial mucus but they are frequently not correctly chosen because there is not a simple apparatus available for the routine measurement of the mucus viscoelasticity. We designed a new viscoelastometer which is easy to operate and permit accurate measurement of the viscoelastic properties of mucus. The system has a Couette geometry and requires a sample of 1 ml. The outer cylinder is thermostated and rotates at a constant rate. The resulting torque is measured on the inner cylinder using a microdisplacement transducer. The inner cylinder is suspended by a special wire system which maintains a constant 0.75 mm gap between the two cylinders. The apparent viscosity is calculated up to 100 Pa.s. at a low shear rate (0.4 s−1) and the elasticity is analyzed by a stress relaxation method The characteristics of the apparatus and the typical viscoelasticity behaviour of several sputum samples are reported.

Keywords: rheology, viscoelastometer, bronchial mucus

DOI: 10.3233/BIR-1984-23S121

Journal: Biorheology, vol. 23, no. s1, pp. 119-122, 1984