Can difference in patient coronary flow waveform alter patients' outcomes?

The human coronaries system is a sophisticated flow network with complicated haemodynamic environments. At the core, our heart periodically supplies blood to maintain functionalities of our bodies. These periodic blood flow movements change from person to person. Yet despite increasing awareness on the pulsating flow environment, typical computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies often rely on population-specific pulsatile waveforms. In this study, we investigate the impacts of different pulsatile waveforms of the left coronary arteries (with identical mean flow rate of 1.3 cc/s) on the recirculation environments near a scaffolded coronary segment. Under the effect of pulsatile coronary flow, recirculation environments are, in general, most pronounced during systole; these recirculation environments diminish as flow accelerates towards peak flow at diastole. However, the size of these recirculation environments is very sensitive to the characteristics of each individual pulsatile waveform, particularly during systolic phase. These fundamental CFD studies will shed light on future patient monitor strategies, and enhance patients’ outcomes with individualised medications.