Blood flow through a curved artery

Blood flow in a curved artery is described as the motion of a viscous fluid through a curve thin-walled elastic tube. Under the hypothesis of small curvature, an asymptotic analysis is carried out to solve the governing unsteady 3D equations. The model results to be an extension of the Womersley's theory for the straight elastic tube. A numerical solution is found for the first order approximation and computational results are finally presented, demonstrating the role of curvature in the wave propagation and in the development of a secondary flow.