Steady flow in a model of the human carotid bifurcation. Part II--laser-Doppler anemometer measurements.

The evidence for hypothesizing a relationship between hemodynamics and atherogenesis as well as the motivation for selecting the carotid bifurcation for extensive fluid dynamic studies has been discussed in Part I of this two-paper sequence. Part II deals with velocity measurements within the bifurcation model described by Fig. 1 and Table 1 of the previous paper. A plexiglass model conforming to the dimensions of the average carotid bifurcation was machined and employed for velocity measurements with a laser-Doppler anemometer (LDA). The objective of this phase of the study was to obtain quantitative information on the velocity field and to estimate levels and directions of wall shear stress in the region of the bifurcation.