Mathematical modelling of mass dynamics for arterial drug-eluting stents

A mathematical model for the diffusion-transport of a substance between two porous homogeneous media of different properties and dimensions is presented. A strong analogy with the 1D transient heat conduction process across two-layered slabs is shown and a similar methodology of solution is proposed. Separation of variables leads to a Sturm-Liouville problem with discontinuous coefficients and an exact analytical solution is given in the form of an infinite series expansion. The drug-eluting stent constitutes the main application of the present model. The talk points out the role of nondimensional parameters which control the complex transfer mechanism across the two layers.