Network model to study physiological processes of hypobaric decompression sickness: New numerical results

  1. Zueco, J. 1
  2. López-González, L.M. 2
  1. 1 Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena
    info

    Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena

    Cartagena, España

    ROR https://ror.org/02k5kx966

  2. 2 Universidad de La Rioja
    info

    Universidad de La Rioja

    Logroño, España

    ROR https://ror.org/0553yr311

Zeitschrift:
Acta Astronautica

ISSN: 0094-5765

Datum der Publikation: 2016

Ausgabe: 121

Seiten: 256-270

Art: Artikel

DOI: 10.1016/J.ACTAASTRO.2015.12.051 SCOPUS: 2-s2.0-84955279852 WoS: WOS:000371838300023 GOOGLE SCHOLAR

Andere Publikationen in: Acta Astronautica

Zusammenfassung

We have studied decompression processes when pressure changes that take place, in blood and tissues using a technical numerical based in electrical analogy of the parameters that involved in the problem. The particular problem analyzed is the behavior dynamics of the extravascular bubbles formed in the intercellular cavities of a hypothetical tissue undergoing decompression. Numerical solutions are given for a system of equations to simulate gas exchanges of bubbles after decompression, with particular attention paid to the effect of bubble size, nitrogen tension, nitrogen diffusivity in the intercellular fluid and in the tissue cell layer in a radial direction, nitrogen solubility, ambient pressure and specific blood flow through the tissue over the different molar diffusion fluxes of nitrogen per time unit (through the bubble surface, between the intercellular fluid layer and blood and between the intercellular fluid layer and the tissue cell layer). The system of nonlinear equations is solved using the Network Simulation Method, where the electric analogy is applied to convert these equations into a network-electrical model, and a computer code (electric circuit simulator, Pspice). In this paper, numerical results new (together to a network model improved with interdisciplinary electrical analogies) are provided. © 2016 IAA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.