Affiliations: Division of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Wonkwang University, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea | Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA | Rheovector LLC, Camden, NJ, USA | Department of Thoracic and Cardio-Vascular Surgery, Veterans Health Service Medical Center, Seoul, Korea | Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Y.I. Cho, Professor of Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Tel.: +1 215 895 2425; Fax: +1 215 895 1478; Email: [email protected]
Abstract: The present research investigated the role of blood viscosity on flow within a microvascular network to identify the conditions of blood flow stagnation. When the yield stress of blood was less than 0.005 Pa, there were no stagnant regions in the microvasculature. However, when the yield stress increased to 0.05 Pa, stagnant or reduced flow areas began to appear, which grew and expanded rapidly with further increase in the yield stress. Thus, the yield stress determined from blood viscosity profile of a patient can be utilized to evaluate the risk of circulatory impairment.
