Open Access

ARTICLE

Impact of Coronary Tortuosity on Coronary Pressure and Wall Shear Stress: an Experimental Study

Yang Li¹, Xiuxian Liu², Zhiyong Li^2,*, Jiayi Tong¹, Yi Feng¹, Genshan Ma¹, Chengxing Shen³, Naifeng Liu¹

1 Department of Cardiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical school, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
2 School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China .
3 Department of Cardiology, Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China .

* Corresponding Author: Zhiyong Li. Email: .

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics 2017, 14(4), 213-229. https://doi.org/10.3970/mcb.2017.014.213

Abstract

Coronary tortuosity is a common angiographic finding, but the hemodynamic significance of coronary tortuosity is largely unknown. The impact of coronary tortuosity on coronary pressure and wall shear stress is still unclear. We addressed this issue in the present experimental study. A distorted tube model connected to heart pumping machine was established to simulate the coronary circulation. The pressure of each point was measured with a coronary pressure guidewire. Influence of tortuosity angle and tortuosity number on local pressure was measured. Wall shear stress was calculated accordingly to the pressure of each point. Pressure distribution in this system was affected both by tortuosity angle and tortuosity number. Driving pressure for the coronary tortuosity was positively related with tortuosity number while negatively linked with tortuosity angle. Wall shear stress was higher in proportion to the severity of coronary tortuosity. Coronary tortuosity can lead to more decrease of coronary blood pressure in dependence on the severity of tortuosity, and driving pressure for the coronary tortuosity increased accordingly. Tortuous artery has higher wall shear stress in dependent on the severity of coronary tortuosity, indicated that coronary tortuosity may be a factor for delaying the formation and progression of atherosclerotic plaque.

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Keywords

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