The effects of arterial stenosis on red cells.

It is reasonable to conjecture that the fluid dynamic and biochemical environment near an arterial stenosis may have an effect on red blood cells which pass through that vicinity. However, little information exists in the literature that directly links stenosis with hemolysis. As a consequence, this brief review discusses a number of potential mechanisms by which stenosis could lead to erythrocyte damage or could be indirectly correlated to it. These are divided into (a) fluid mechanical effects which can directly damage cells, (b) complications of stenosis which affect the cells or the cells' environment and lead indirectly to damage, and (c) pathological factors which are associated with both hemolysis and atherosclerosis and hence may increase both independently.