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DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1037738
Numerical flow simulation of the left heart as basis for operation planning for left ventricular repair procedures
Objective: Heart failure is always accompanied by changes in left ventricular geometry. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) shall be used to calculate intraventricular flow- and energy-losses for optimizing surgical repair techniques.
Methods: Time-dependent geometry and flow of the left cardiac chambers of a healthy volunteer were obtained with MRI. After segmentation, simplified models of the aorta, the valves and circulatory boundary conditions were coupled with the computerized model. The numerical flow calculation was performed with a finite volume method. For validation a silicone-made chamber based on the 3D-dataset was made and flow was measured in a pulsatile setup with Laserdoppler-methods. CFD-results are compared with experimental- and MRI-flow measurements.
Results: CFD-results show a high correlation to both experimental and MRI-measurements. Derived pressure-volume-loops showed physiological characteristics; cardiac power was 1.02W. Left atrial geometry, mitral valve and resulting inflow are crucially influencing leftventricular flow pattern. Parameters have been developed to describe ventricular geometries and resulting energy losses.
Conclusion: CFD offers suitable methods to calculate intraventricular flow and resulting energy losses in pathologic left ventricles. It gives new insights to fluid dynamic contexts in the heart. Based on this method an operation planning system for left ventricular repair procedures will be developed.
Fig. 1: Diastolic flow in computational simulation