Plaque behavior characteristics and regrowth of plaque in diseased arteries tissue during post-cryoplasty processes

Abstract

Atherosclerosis is a leading cause of heart diseases and mortality around the world. Recently cryoplasty has emerged as a potentially effective method to treat atherosclerosis. Finite element heat transfer and mass transfer models are developed in ANSYS in this study. The heat transfer model analyzes the heat transfer within the atherosclerotic plaque and arterial wall during the cryopalsty procedure. The model is useful in predicting the transient temperature through diseased wall tissues. The measurements can be used to decide the required treatment procedure effectively for freezing the plaque with minimal damage to the healthy arterial tissues. The model investigates the parameters that may effect temperature distribution within the tissue during the ablative procedure. A mass transfer model is developed using ANSYS to study the pressure effects on molecular diffusion across the arterial wall and the permeability effects of endothelial membrane during the molecular diffusion process.