A time-dependent two species explicit finite difference computational model for analyzing diffusion in a drug eluting stented coronary artery wall: a phase I study

This paper outlines results for a mathematical drug transport model developed for simulating the transport of a hydrophobic drug in a drug eluting stented coronary arterial vessel wall. The mathematical drug transport model incorporates the diffusion equation with a two species (free and bound drug) reversible equilibrium reaction source term to account for tissue binding. The model is solved by an explicit 2-D finite difference method for discretizing and solving the free and bound convection equations with anisotropic vascular drug diffusivities. The relative reaction rates control the interconversion of drug between the free and bound states. Results include provide a glance at the relative distribution of the two drug forms in a two-dimensional model of the arterial vessel wall. The model also reveals how a single species drug delivery model cannot accurately predict the distribution of bound drug.