A bench top experimental model of bubble transport in multiple arteriole bifurcations

Motivated by a novel gas embolotherapy technique, a bench top vascular bifurcation model is used to investigate the splitting of long bubbles in a series of liquid-filled bifurcations. The developmental gas embolotherapy technique aims to treat cancer by infarcting tumors with gas emboli that are formed by selective acoustic vaporization of ∼6 μm, intravascular, perfluorcarbon droplets. The resulting gas bubbles are large enough to extend through several vessel bifurcations. The current bench top experiments examine the effects of gravity and flow on bubble transport through multiple bifurcations. The effect of gravity is varied by changing the roll angle of the bifurcating network about its parent tube. Splitting at each bifurcation is nearly even when the roll angle is zero. It is demonstrated that bubbles can either stick at one of the second bifurcations or in the second generation daughter tubes, even though the flow rate in the parent tube is constant. The findings of this work indicate that both gravity and flow are important in determining the bubble transport, and suggest that a treatment strategy that includes multiple doses may be effective in delivering emboli to vessels not occluded by the initial dose.