A 3-D finite element model of blood perfused rat gastrocnemius medialis muscle

A finite element description of blood perfusion has been developed, and is applied to skeletal muscles. Three-dimensional distributions of blood pressures and flows in deforming muscles are calculated. The muscle tissue is considered as a fluid-saturated porous solid. The blood is modeled as a series of five intercommunicating compartmental fluids, representing arterial, arteriolar, capillary, venular and venous blood, that reside in the pores (blood vessels) of the muscle tissue. The blood vessels are modeled as distensible tubes, embedded in the muscle tissue. A 3-D finite element mesh has been mapped on a reconstructed geometry of a gastrocnemius medialis muscle of the rat. Blood perfused linear elastic muscle material behaviour has been assigned to this mesh. A simulation of blood perfusion, resulting from a constant arterio-venous pressure difference, through the reconstructed muscle has been performed. Calculated blood pressure and flow distributions were within physiological range.