https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-025-06424-8
Regular Article
Numerical investigation on the effects of non-Newtonian models, flow patterns, and heparin inhibition on platelet deposition
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Azadi Avenue, Tehran, Iran
Received:
27
March
2025
Accepted:
13
May
2025
Published online:
4
June
2025
Thrombosis, the formation of blood clots within the vessels, has been known to restrict the blood flow and to increase the risk of myocardial infarction, resulting in death in some severe cases. The prediction of thrombus formation with some computational tools has enabled the investigation of various species and parameters involved in the biological processes. In the present study, a mathematical model is employed to examine the effects of non-Newtonian models of blood and the inhibitory effect of heparin on the thrombus formation and platelet deposition in a stenosed vessel. Additionally, cases with different degrees of stenosis and inlet Reynolds numbers are analyzed to assess how variations in flow patterns influence thrombus formation. The computational framework is based on solving the Navier–Stokes and continuity equations, which govern blood flow, along with a series of convection–diffusion-reaction equations to simulate the transport of platelets and other species involved in the biological model. Our results indicate that blood rheology becomes particularly significant in post-stenosis regions where the wall shear rates are low (< 100 s−1) due to the presence of recirculation zones. This leads to differences in platelet deposition on the injured wall between non-Newtonian models and the Newtonian model in the post-stenotic regions. However, the present results indicate that the Cross model produces similar results to the Newtonian model in this case. Given that the Cross model most accurately represents the rheological behavior of real blood at low shear rates, these findings suggest that assuming a Newtonian model can provide a reasonable approximation for modeling clot formation. Additionally, the results of non-Newtonian models converge with those of Newtonian models as Reynolds number and stenosis degree increase. Finally, increasing the concentration of heparin reduces platelet deposition, especially at the stenosis apex, by enhancing the inhibitory effects of antithrombin on thrombin.
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© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
