Ureteral peristaltic mechanism facilitates urine transport from the kidney to the bladder. Numerical analysis of the peristaltic flow in the ureter aims to further our understanding of the reflux phenomenon and other ureteral abnormalities. Fluid-structure interaction (FSI) plays an important role in accuracy of this approach and the arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) formulation is a strong method to analyze the coupled fluid-structure interaction between the compliant wall and the surrounding fluid. This formulation, however, was not used in previous studies of peristalsis in living organisms. In the present investigation, a numerical simulation is introduced and solved through ALE formulation to perform the ureteral flow and stress analysis. The incompressible Navier–Stokes equations are used as the governing equations for the fluid, and a linear elastic model is utilized for the compliant wall. The wall stimulation is modeled by nonlinear contact analysis using a rigid contact surface since an appropriate model for simulation of ureteral peristalsis needs to contain cell-to-cell wall stimulation. In contrast to previous studies, the wall displacements are not predetermined in the presented model of this finite-length compliant tube, neither the peristalsis needs to be periodic. Moreover, the temporal changes of ureteral wall intraluminal shear stress during peristalsis are included in our study. Iterative computing of two-way coupling is used to solve the governing equations. Two phases of nonperistaltic and peristaltic transport of urine in the ureter are discussed. Results are obtained following an analysis of the effects of the ureteral wall compliance, the pressure difference between the ureteral inlet and outlet, the maximum height of the contraction wave, the contraction wave velocity, and the number of contraction waves on the ureteral outlet flow. The results indicate that the proximal part of the ureter is prone to a higher shear stress during peristalsis compared with its middle and distal parts. It is also shown that the peristalsis is more efficient as the maximum height of the contraction wave increases. Finally, it is concluded that improper function of ureteropelvic junction results in the passage of part of urine back flow even in the case of slow start-up of the peristaltic contraction wave.
Skip Nav Destination
e-mail: bahman-vahidi@aut.ac.ir
e-mail: nasser@aut.ac.ir
e-mail: a.imanparast@aut.ac.ir
e-mail: abbas@caltech.edu
Article navigation
March 2011
Research Papers
A Mathematical Simulation of the Ureter: Effects of the Model Parameters on Ureteral Pressure/Flow Relations
Bahman Vahidi,
Bahman Vahidi
Biological Fluid Mechanics Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering,
e-mail: bahman-vahidi@aut.ac.ir
Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic)
, Haafez Avenue, Tehran 15914, Iran
Search for other works by this author on:
Nasser Fatouraee,
Nasser Fatouraee
Biological Fluid Mechanics Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering,
e-mail: nasser@aut.ac.ir
Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic)
, Haafez Avenue, Tehran 15914, Iran
Search for other works by this author on:
Ali Imanparast,
Ali Imanparast
Biological Fluid Mechanics Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering,
e-mail: a.imanparast@aut.ac.ir
Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic)
, Haafez Avenue, Tehran 15914, Iran
Search for other works by this author on:
Abbas Nasiraei Moghadam
Abbas Nasiraei Moghadam
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
e-mail: abbas@caltech.edu
Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic)
, Haafez Avenue, Tehran 15914, Iran; Department of Radiology, Division of Diagnostic Cardiovascular Imaging, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California at Los Angeles
, Los Angeles, CA 90095; Department of Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology
, Pasadena, CA 91125
Search for other works by this author on:
Bahman Vahidi
Biological Fluid Mechanics Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic)
, Haafez Avenue, Tehran 15914, Irane-mail: bahman-vahidi@aut.ac.ir
Nasser Fatouraee
Biological Fluid Mechanics Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic)
, Haafez Avenue, Tehran 15914, Irane-mail: nasser@aut.ac.ir
Ali Imanparast
Biological Fluid Mechanics Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic)
, Haafez Avenue, Tehran 15914, Irane-mail: a.imanparast@aut.ac.ir
Abbas Nasiraei Moghadam
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic)
, Haafez Avenue, Tehran 15914, Iran; Department of Radiology, Division of Diagnostic Cardiovascular Imaging, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California at Los Angeles
, Los Angeles, CA 90095; Department of Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology
, Pasadena, CA 91125e-mail: abbas@caltech.edu
J Biomech Eng. Mar 2011, 133(3): 031004 (9 pages)
Published Online: February 4, 2011
Article history
Received:
April 23, 2010
Revised:
December 13, 2010
Posted:
December 22, 2010
Published:
February 4, 2011
Online:
February 4, 2011
Citation
Vahidi, B., Fatouraee, N., Imanparast, A., and Moghadam, A. N. (February 4, 2011). "A Mathematical Simulation of the Ureter: Effects of the Model Parameters on Ureteral Pressure/Flow Relations." ASME. J Biomech Eng. March 2011; 133(3): 031004. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4003316
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Effect of Collagen Fiber Tortuosity Distribution on the Mechanical Response of Arterial Tissues
J Biomech Eng (February 2025)
Related Articles
Analysis of Thermal Stress in Cryosurgery of Kidneys
J Biomech Eng (August,2005)
Thermal Therapy in Urologic Systems: A Comparison of Arrhenius and Thermal Isoeffective Dose Models in Predicting Hyperthermic Injury
J Biomech Eng (July,2009)
Unsteady Peristaltic Pumping in a Finite Length Tube With Permeable Wall
J. Fluids Eng (October,2010)
The Origins of Syringomyelia: Numerical Models of Fluid/Structure Interactions in the Spinal Cord
J Biomech Eng (December,2005)
Related Chapters
Investigation of the Energy Shielding of Kidney Stones by Cavitation Bubble Clouds during Burst Wave Lithotripsy
Proceedings of the 10th International Symposium on Cavitation (CAV2018)
Modeling, Simulating, and Synthesizing of Simplified Renal Mechanism
Intelligent Engineering Systems Through Artificial Neural Networks, Volume 17
Modeling, Simulating, and Synthesizing of Simplified Kidney Function
Intelligent Engineering Systems through Artificial Neural Networks Volume 18