Simulations of laser thrombolysis : Diagnostic and Therapeutic Cardiovascular Interventions

We have shown that bubble expansion and collapse near the interface between two materials with modest property differences produces jet-like interpenetration of the two materials. The bubble dynamics at a water-viscous fluid interface is compared with that at the interface of water with a weak elastic-plastic material. We find that, despite rather similar behavior during bubble growth and the initial portion of bubble collapse, the terminal jetting behavior is quite different, even in direction. The elastic-plastic properties chosen are representative of real and surrogate thrombus. Simulations using the elastic-plastic model agree quantitatively with laboratory thrombolysis mass-removal experiments. In our earlier simulations of laboratory experiments, walls have been remote so as to not affect the dynamics. Here we present two-dimensional simulations of thrombolysis with water over elastic-plastic surrogate thrombus in a geometry representative of the clinical situation. The calculations include thin cylindrical elastic walls with properties and dimensions appropriate for arteries. The presence of these artery walls does not substantially change the interface jetting predicted in unconfined simulations.