“Investigation and application of the human blood flow improvement by mechanical vibrations” Doctoral Thesis

Author, institution: Mantas Venslauskas, Kaunas University of Technology

Science area, field: Technological Sciences, Mechanical Engineering

The Doctoral Dissertation is available at the library of Kaunas University of Technology (K. Donelaičio St. 20, Kaunas).

Scientific Supervisor: Prof. habil. dr. Vytautas OSTAŠEVIČIUS (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Mechanical Engineering – 09T)

Dissertation defence board of Mechanical Engineering Science Field

Prof. Dr. Habil. Arvydas Palevičius (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Mechanical Engineering – 09T) – chairman,
Prof. Dr. Habil. Algimantas Bubulis (Kaunas University of Technology, Technological Sciences, Mechanical Engineering – 09T)),
Prof. Dr.  Vladimir T. Minchenya (Belarus National Technical University, Technological Sciences, Mechanical Engineering – 09T),
Prof. Dr. Vincentas Veikutis (Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Medicine – 06B).

Annotation:

More than 10 % of the population is affected by such diseases as Diabetes mellitus or Arthritis that could lead to blood circulatory disorders. Pathological processes often disrupt the function of arterioles and capillaries, thus causing malfunctions in tissue feeding. The aim of this research is to develop and investigate the influence of mechanical vibrations on blood circulation with low-frequency vibrational expose prototypes for human limbs. Due to the lack of methodologies and means for the blood circulatory improvement, it was decided to create a novel approach to perform low-frequency vibrational therapy for people with circulatory disorders. Numerical mathematical models of blood vessel, capillary and erythrocyte were developed to commit investigations on blood velocity alterations, deformability and flow through the micro-channel depending on different types of vibrational exposure. The results of the numerical and experimental studies of the vibrating microchannel have showed the highest impact at frequencies up to 8 Hz. According to the modelling results and application field, the decision was made to develop devices for the specific disorders and concentrating on the diseased part of the body. Experimental studies with the designed prototypes have shown a significant increase in limb temperatures after the low-frequency vibrational excitation thus proving that the proposed application of beating frequencies is therefore innovative in the medical device area.