Mechanics of the stomach: A review of an emerging field of biomechanics

Abstract

Mathematical and computational modeling of the stomach is an emerging field of biomechanics where several complex phenomena, such as gastric electrophysiology, fluid mechanics of the digesta, and solid mechanics of the gastric wall, need to be addressed. Developing a comprehensive multiphysics model of the stomach that allows studying the interactions between these phenomena remains one of the greatest challenges in biomechanics. A coupled multiphysics model of the human stomach would enable detailed in‐silico studies of the digestion of food in the stomach in health and disease. Moreover, it has the potential to open up unprecedented opportunities in numerous fields such as computer‐aided medicine and food design. This review article summarizes our current understanding of the mechanics of the human stomach and delineates the challenges in mathematical and computational modeling which remain to be addressed in this emerging area.