Mathematical analysis of the quasilinear effects in a hyperbolic model blood flow through compliant axi-symmetric vessels

In this paper, we present a mathematical analysis of the quasilinear effects arising in a hyperbolic system of partial differential equations modelling blood flow through large compliant vessels. The equations are derived using asymptotic reduction of the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations in narrow, long channels. To guarantee strict hyperbolicity we first derive the estimates on the initial and boundary data which imply strict hyperbolicity in the region of smooth flow. We then prove a general theorem which provides conditions under which an initial–boundary value problem for a quasilinear hyperbolic system admits a smooth solution. Using this result we show that pulsatile flow boundary data always give rise to shock formation (high gradients in the velocity and inner vessel radius). We estimate the time and the location of the first shock formation and show that in a healthy individual, shocks form well outside the physiologically interesting region (2.8m downstream from the inlet boundary). In the end we present a study of the influence of vessel tapering on shock formation. We obtain a surprising result: vessel tapering postpones shock formation. We provide an explanation for why this is the case. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.