起旋式人工主动脉瓣构型设计及血流动力学评价

目的 设计一种附起旋功能的双叶机械瓣,通过改善其血流状态预防术后并发症。 方法 基于导流片式局部起旋器结构,将瓣叶作为导流叶片,并定义瓣叶包角以探究具有较优血流动力学特性的瓣膜构型。 应用有限元分析软件,对心缩期峰值流量状态下的主动脉流场进行仿真,螺旋性、壁面切应力分布等血流动力学特征。 结果 相较于对照瓣膜,起旋瓣具有更大的有效开口面积与更小的跨瓣压差,一定瓣叶包角范围内的起旋瓣能促进右手螺旋流的生成,并使血流趋向流道中心;起旋瓣壁面切应力分布也更加均匀,具有较少的低应力区与高应力区,壁面切应力峰值也相对较小。 针对研究中的主动脉模型,具有最优血流动力学特性的瓣叶包角为 15° ~ 20°。 结论 该新型人工主动脉瓣能调节主动脉内的血流特征,降低主动脉瓣置换术引起主动脉扩张与主动脉瘤的风险,对未来机械瓣构型设计具有指导意义。     

Quantitative evaluation of intra-aortic flow disturbance by the fluid momentum index: Effect of the left ventricular systolic function on the hemodynamics in the aorta.

The combined hemodynamics in the left ventricle and aorta were analyzed numerically to investigate how the hemodynamics in the aorta varies with changes in left ventricular systolic function quantified as the ejection fraction (EF). EFs of 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7 were defined by controlling the total volume ejected during systole, while maintaining the ventricular volume at the end of diastole. The results showed that although the variation in left ventricular systolic function resulted in a change in the magnitude of the flow velocity, the intraventricular and aortic flows, including the secondary flows at the aortic valve orifice, were essentially the same regardless of the EF. To evaluate the strength of the secondary flow relative to the axial flow, the flow momentum index, FMI, was proposed. Spatiotemporal maps of the FMI obtained with different EFs had similar topological patterns, suggesting that the left ventricular systolic function contributed less to the efficiency of conveying blood in the axial direction in the aorta. Systolic function had a minimal effect on the spatiotemporal distribution of the maximum wall shear stress (WSS). A comparison of the spatiotemporal maps of the FMI and WSS revealed that the spatiotemporal maximum of WSS that occur in peak systole did not correspond to that of the FMI, demonstrating that the spatiotemporal maximum WSS was not induced by the helical flow. These results demonstrated that the left ventricular systolic function is not reflected in the global hemodynamics in the aorta and addressed potential of the FMI as an index to quantify the aortic flow disturbances.     

左心室辅助装置与主动脉吻合角度对主动脉瓣膜影响的血流动力学研究

目的 探究左心室辅助装置(left ventricular assist device, LVAD)与主动脉吻合角度对主动脉瓣膜的血流动力学影响。方法 分别构建LVAD与主动脉吻合角度为45°、60°、90°的3个主动脉模型和主动脉瓣膜模型,搭建体外搏动台用于体外实验。运用粒子图像测速(particle image velocimetry, PIV)系统,选取心动周期中的3个时刻(T₁收缩峰值期,T₂瓣膜快速闭合时期和T₃舒张峰值期)探究主动脉瓣膜处血流动力学状态。结果 采用速度矢量、涡量、黏性剪切力指标评价LVAD吻合角度对主动脉瓣膜血流动力学的影响。瓣膜快速闭合时期,吻合角度增大时,瓣膜近壁面血流速度、平均涡量和最大黏性剪切力均增大。结论 吻合角度较低时,血流对主动脉瓣膜的冲击速度较小,瓣膜受到较小的剪切力,使瓣膜处于较好的血流动力学环境。研究结果为临床手术中吻合角度的选择提供参考。     

Effect of LVAD outlet graft anastomosis angle on the aortic valve, wall, and flow

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), which pump blood from the left ventricle to the aorta are an important therapy option for patients with end-stage cardiovascular diseases. Recent publications show that even with optimized LVADs fatal complications can occur because of the blood deformations around the inflow cannula or through the LVAD outlet graft-aorta anastomosis. This study investigates the effects of the anastomosis geometry on the flow through the aorta, on the pressure and wall shear stress (WSS) distributions on the aortic wall and on the total entropy generation in the anastomosis region. Anastomosis geometry is defined with two angles, one on the coronal plane and the other on the transversal plane. Turbulent flow simulations are performed for each geometry. Results indicate that 3% to 5% of the work given by the LVAD is dissipated because of the viscous losses in the anastomosis region. The entropy generation, as well as the maximum WSS, increases as the inclination angle decreases. Some portion of the blood streaming out of the LVAD conduit flows toward the aortic valve; therefore the reverse-flow region extends up to the aortic valve in some cases, which may be one of the causes of aortic-valve dysfunction. Results of this study provide insight on the importance of the anastomosis geometry on the hemodynamics in the aorta and downstream the aortic valve, stresses on the aortic wall, and viscous losses.     

Fluid Mechanics of Fetal Left Ventricle During Aortic Stenosis with Evolving Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

In cases of fetal aortic stenosis and evolving Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (feHLHS), aortic stenosis is associated with specific abnormalities such as retrograde or bidirectional systolic transverse arch flow. Many cases progressed to hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) malformation at birth, but fetal aortic valvuloplasty can prevent the progression in many cases. Since both disease and intervention involve drastic changes to the biomechanical environment, in-vivo biomechanics likely play a role in inducing and preventing disease progression. However, the fluid mechanics of feHLHS is not well-characterized. Here, we conduct patient-specific echocardiography-based flow simulations of normal and feHLHS left ventricles (LV), to understand the essential fluid dynamics distinction between the two cohorts. We found high variability across feHLHS cases, but also the following unifying features. Firstly, feHLHS diastole mitral inflow was in the form of a narrowed and fast jet that impinged onto the apical region, rather than a wide and gentle inflow in normal LVs. This was likely due to a malformed mitral valve with impaired opening dynamics. This altered inflow caused elevated vorticity dynamics and wall shear stresses (WSS) and reduced oscillatory shear index at the apical zone rather than mid-ventricle. Secondly, feHLHS LV also featured elevated systolic and diastolic energy losses, intraventricular pressure gradients, and vortex formation numbers, suggesting energy inefficiency of flow and additional burden on the LV. Thirdly, feHLHS LV had poor blood turnover, suggesting a hypoxic environment, which could be associated with endocardial fibroelastosis that is often observed in these patients.

     

Investigation of Pulsatile Flowfield in Healthy Thoracic Aorta Models

Cardiovascular disease is the primary cause of morbidity and mortality in the western world. Complex hemodynamics plays a critical role in the development of aortic dissection and atherosclerosis, as well as many other diseases. Since fundamental fluid mechanics are important for the understanding of the blood flow in the cardiovascular circulatory system of the human body aspects, a joint experimental and numerical study was conducted in this study to determine the distributions of wall shear stress and pressure and oscillatory WSS index, and to examine their correlation with the aortic disorders, especially dissection. Experimentally, the Phase-Contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (PC-MRI) method was used to acquire the true geometry of a normal human thoracic aorta, which was readily converted into a transparent thoracic aorta model by the rapid prototyping (RP) technique. The thoracic aorta model was then used in the in vitro experiments and computations. Simulations were performed using the computational fluid dynamic (CFD) code ACE+^® to determine flow characteristics of the three-dimensional, pulsatile, incompressible, and Newtonian fluid in the thoracic aorta model. The unsteady boundary conditions at the inlet and the outlet of the aortic flow were specified from the measured flowrate and pressure results during in vitro experiments. For the code validation, the predicted axial velocity reasonably agrees with the PC-MRI experimental data in the oblique sagittal plane of the thoracic aorta model. The thorough analyses of the thoracic aorta flow, WSSs, WSS index (OSI), and wall pressures are presented. The predicted locations of the maxima of WSS and the wall pressure can be then correlated with that of the thoracic aorta dissection, and thereby may lead to a useful biological significance. The numerical results also suggest that the effects of low WSS and high OSI tend to cause wall thickening occurred along the inferior wall of the aortic arch and the anterior wall of the brachiocephalic artery, similar implication reported in a number of previous studies.     

The Flow Field along the Entire Length of Mouse Aorta and Primary Branches

There is a spatial disposition to atherosclerosis along the aorta corresponding to regions of flow disturbances. The objective of the present study is to investigate the detailed distribution of hemodynamic parameters (wall shear stress (WSS), spatial gradient of wall shear stress (WSSG), and oscillatory shear index (OSI)) in the entire length of C57BL/6 mouse aorta with all primary branches (from ascending aorta to common iliac bifurcation). The detailed geometrical parameters (e.g., diameter and length of the vessels) were obtained from casts of entire aorta and primary branches of mice. The flow velocity was measured at the inlet of ascending aorta using Doppler flowprobe in mice. The outlet pressure boundary condition was estimated based on scaling law. The continuity and Navier–Stokes equations were solved using three-dimensional finite element method (FEM). The model prediction was tested by comparing the computed flow rate with the flow rate measured just before the common iliac bifurcation, and good agreement was found. It was also found that complex flow patterns occur at bifurcations between main trunk and branches. The major branches of terminal aorta, with the highest proportion of atherosclerosis, have the lowest WSS, and the relatively atherosclerotic-prone aortic arch has much more complex WSS distribution and higher OSI value than other sites. The low WSS coincides with the high OSI, which approximately obeys a power law relationship. Furthermore, the scaling law between flow and diameter holds in the entire aorta and primary branches of mice under pulsatile blood flow conditions. This model will eventually serve to elucidate the causal relation between hemodynamic patterns and atherogenesis in KO mice.     

Quantifying turbulent wall shear stress in a subject specific human aorta using large eddy simulation

In this study, large-eddy simulation (LES) is employed to calculate the disturbed flow field and the wall shear stress (WSS) in a subject specific human aorta. Velocity and geometry measurements using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are taken as input to the model to provide accurate boundary conditions and to assure the physiological relevance. In total, 50 consecutive cardiac cycles were simulated from which a phase average was computed to get a statistically reliable result. A decomposition similar to Reynolds decomposition is introduced, where the WSS signal is divided into a pulsating part (due to the mass flow rate) and a fluctuating part (originating from the disturbed flow). Oscillatory shear index (OSI) is plotted against time-averaged WSS in a novel way, and locations on the aortic wall where elevated values existed could easily be found. In general, high and oscillating WSS values were found in the vicinity of the branches in the aortic arch, while low and oscillating WSS were present in the inner curvature of the descending aorta. The decomposition of WSS into a pulsating and a fluctuating part increases the understanding of how WSS affects the aortic wall, which enables both qualitative and quantitative comparisons.     

High-Resolution Fluid–Structure Interaction Simulations of Flow Through a Bi-Leaflet Mechanical Heart Valve in an Anatomic Aorta

We have performed high-resolution fluid–structure interaction simulations of physiologic pulsatile flow through a bi-leaflet mechanical heart valve (BMHV) in an anatomically realistic aorta. The results are compared with numerical simulations of the flow through an identical BMHV implanted in a straight aorta. The comparisons show that although some of the salient features of the flow remain the same, the aorta geometry can have a major effect on both the flow patterns and the motion of the valve leaflets. For the studied configuration, for instance, the BMHV leaflets in the anatomic aorta open much faster and undergo a greater rebound during closing than the same valve in the straight axisymmetric aorta. Even though the characteristic triple-jet structure does emerge downstream of the leaflets for both cases, for the anatomic case the leaflet jets spread laterally and diffuse much faster than in the straight aorta due to the aortic curvature and complex shape of the anatomic sinus. Consequently the leaflet shear layers in the anatomic case remain laminar and organized for a larger portion of the accelerating phase as compared to the shear layers in the straight aorta, which begin to undergo laminar instabilities well before peak systole is reached. For both cases, however, the flow undergoes a very similar explosive transition to the small-scale, turbulent-like state just prior to reaching peak systole. The local maximum shear stress is used as a metric to characterize the mechanical environment experienced by blood cells. Pockets of high local maximum shear are found to be significantly more widespread in the anatomic aorta than in the straight aorta throughout the cardiac cycle. Pockets of high local maximum shear were located near the leaflets and in the aortic arc region. This work clearly demonstrates the importance of the aortic geometry on the flow phenomena in a BMHV and demonstrates the potential of our computational method to carry out image-based patient-specific simulations for clinically relevant studies of heart valve hemodynamics.     

Systolic stretching of the ascending aorta

IntroductionLongitudinal stretching of the aorta due to systolic heart motion contributes to the stress in the wall of the ascending aorta. The objective of this study was to assess longitudinal systolic stretching of the aorta and its correlation with the diameters of the ascending aorta and the aortic root.Material and methodsAortographies of 122 patients were analyzed. The longitudinal systolic stretching of the aorta caused by the contraction of the heart during systole and the maximum dimensions of the aortic root and ascending aorta were measured in all patients.ResultsThe maximum dimension of the aortic root was on average 34.9 ±4.5 mm and the mean diameter of the ascending aorta was 33.9 ±5.4 mm. The systolic aortic stretching negatively correlated with age (r = –0.49, p < 0.001) and the diameter of the tubular ascending aorta (r = –0.44, p < 0.001). There was no significant correlation between the stretching and the dimension of the aortic root (r = –0.11, p = 0.239). There was a statistically significant (p < 0.001) difference in the longitudinal aortic stretching values between patients with a normal aortic valve (10.6 ±3.1 mm) and an aortic valve pathology (8.0 ±3.2 mm in all patients with an aortic valve pathology; 7.5 ±4.3 mm in isolated aortic stenosis, 8.5 ±2.9 mm in the case of isolated insufficiency, 8.2 ±2.8 mm for valves that were both stenotic and insufficient).ConclusionsSystolic aortic stretching negatively correlates with the diameter of the tubular ascending aorta and the age of the patients, and does not correlate with the diameter of the aortic root. It is lower in patients with an aortic valve pathology.     

The impact of the aortic valve impairment on the distant coronary arteries hemodynamics: a fluid–structure interaction study

Atherosclerosis is still the leading cause of death in the developed world. Although its initiation and progression is a complex multifactorial process, it is well known that blood flow-induced wall shear stress (WSS) is an important factor involved in early atherosclerotic plaque initiation. In recent clinical studies, it was established that the regional pathologies of the aortic valve can be involved in the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. However, the impact of hemodynamic effects is not yet fully elucidated for disease initiation and progression. In this study, our developed 3D global fluid–structure interaction model of the aortic root incorporating coronary arteries is used to investigate the possible interaction between coronary arteries and aortic valve pathologies. The coronary hemodynamics was examined and quantified for different degrees of aortic stenosis varying from nonexistent to severe. For the simulated healthy model, the calculated WSS varied between 0.41 and 1.34 Pa which is in the atheroprotective range. However, for moderate and severe aortic stenoses, wide regions of the coronary structures, especially the proximal sections around the first bifurcation, were exposed to lower values of WSS and therefore they were prone to atherosclerosis even in the case of healthy coronary arteries.     

Haemodynamic of blood flow through stenotic aortic valve

Aortic valve (AV) stenosis is described as the deposition of calcium within the valve leaflets. With the growth of stenosis, haemodynamic, mechanical performances of the AV and blood flow through the valve are changed. In this study, we proposed two fluid–structure interaction (FSI) finite element (FE) models. The hyperelastic material model was considered for leaflets tissue. The leaflet tissue was considered stiffer in stenotic valve than the healthy leaflets because of its calcium content. Therefore, the valve could not open completely and this led to a decrease in the orifice area of the valve. The orifice area decreased from 2.4?cm² for the healthy AV to 1.4?cm² for the stenosis case. Mean pressure gradient increased in mid systole and the axial velocity experienced a three times increment in magnitude. Higher blood shear stress magnitudes were observed in stenotic valve due to the structure of the leaflet. In addition, strain concentration and higher stress values were observed on the leaflets in stenotic valve and the effective stress was greater than healthy case. In addition, pressure and velocity results were consistent with the echocardiography data literature. We have compared the performance of healthy and stenotic AV models during a complete cardiac cycle. Although improvements are still needed, there was good agreement between our computed data and other published studies.     

主动脉瓣狭窄对左心室血流特性的影响

基于CT断层扫描数据,对心脏左心室进行三维重构和模型优化。结合心肌壁面的运动特性,建立左心室几何模型过流边界运动的数学模型。通过水力半径表征主动脉瓣的狭窄程度,采用动网格技术研究主动脉瓣狭窄对左心室血液流动的影响。研究发现不同程度主动脉瓣狭窄时,水力半径与主动脉瓣狭窄程度负相关,出口面积减小,收缩期出口处速度与压力升高,剪切应力增加。舒张期,速度与压力出现先增大后减小的规律。当水力半径较小时,左心室瓣膜处剪切应力较大,收缩初期剪切应力最大为0.81 Pa。通过动态模拟对心脏的仿真研究,为后续心脏的研究提供重要的参考价值。     

Dynamic particle image velocimetry study of the aortic flow field of contemporary mechanical bileaflet prostheses

The characteristics of mechanical bileaflet valves, the leaflets of which open at the outside first, differ significantly from those of natural valves, whose leaflets open at the center first, and this fact affects the flow field down-stream of the valves. The direction of jet-type flows, which is influenced by this difference in valve features, and the existence of the sinus of Valsalva both affect the flow field inside the aorta in different ways, depending on the valve design. There may also be an influence on the coronary circulation, the entrance to which resides inside the sinus of Valsalva. A dynamic particle image velocimetry (PIV) study was conducted to analyze the influence of the design of prosthetic heart valves on the aortic flow field. Three contemporary bileaflet prostheses, the St. Jude Medical (SJM) valve, the On-X valve (with straight leaflets), and the MIRA valve (with curved leaflets), were tested inside a simulated aorta under pulsatile flow conditions. A dynamic PIV system was employed to analyze the aortic flow field resulting from the different valve designs. The two newer valves, the On-X and the MIRA valves, open more quickly than the SJM valve and provide a wider opening area when the valve is fully open. The SJM valve's outer orifices deflect the flow during the accelerating flow phase, whereas the newer designs deflect the flow less. The flow through the central orifice of the SJM valve has a lower velocity compared to the newer designs; the newer designs tend to have a strong flow through all orifices. The On-X valve generates a simple jet-type flow, whereas the MIRA valve (with circumferentially curved leaflets) generates a strong but three-dimensionally diffuse flow, resulting in a more complex flow field downstream of the aortic valve. The clinically more adapted 180 degrees orientation seems to provide a less diffuse flow than the 90 degrees orientation does. The small differences in leaflet design in the bileaflet valves generate noticeable differences in the aortic flow; the newer valves show strong flows through all orifices.     

DPIV Prediction of Flow Induced Platelet Activation—Comparison to Numerical Predictions

Flow induced platelet activation (PA) can lead to platelet aggregation, deposition onto the blood vessel wall, and thrombus formation. PA was thoroughly studied under unidirectional flow conditions. However, in regions of complex flow, where the platelet is exposed to varying levels of shear stress for varying durations, the relationship between flow and PA is not well understood. Numerical models were developed for studying flow induced PA resulting from stress histories along Lagrangian trajectories in the flow field. However, experimental validation techniques such as Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV) were not extended to include such models. In this study, a general experimental tool for PA analysis by means of continuous DPIV was utilized and compared to numerical simulation in a model of coronary stenosis. A scaled up (5:1) 84% eccentric and axisymetric coronary stenosis model was used for analysis of shear stress and exposure time along particle trajectories. Flow induced PA was measured using the PA State (PAS) assay. An algorithm for computing the PA level in pertinent trajectories was developed as a tool for extracting information from DPIV measurements for predicting the flow induced thrombogenic potential. CFD, DPIV and PAS assay results agreed well in predicting the level of PA. In addition, the same trend predicted by the DPIV was measured in vitro using the Platelet Activity State (PAS) assay, namely, that the symmetric stenosis activated the platelets more as compared to the eccentric stenosis.     

A Follow-up MRI-based Geometry and Computational Fluid Dynamics Study of Carotid Bifurcation

Cardiovascular disease is the leading causes of death in the developed world. Wall shear stress(WSS) is associated with the initiation and progression of atherogenesis. This study combined the recent advances in MR imaging and computational fluid dynanucs(CFD) and evaluated the patient-specific carotid bifurcation. The patient was followed up for 3 years. The geometry changes(tortuosity,curvature, ICA/CCA area ratios, central to the cross-sectional curvature, maximum stenosis) and the CFD factors(velocity distribute, wall shear stress(WSS) and oscillatory shear index(OSI) were compared at different time points.The carotid stenosis was a slight increase in the central to the cross-sectional curvature, and it was minor and variable curvature changes for carotid centerline. The OSI distribution presents a high-values in the same region where carotid stenosis and normal border,indicating complex flow and recirculation.The significant geometric changes observed during the follow-up may also cause significant changes in bifurcation hemodynamics.     

Estimation of the Shear Stress on the Surface of an Aortic Valve Leaflet

The limited durability of xenograft heart valves and the limited supply of allografts have sparked interest in tissue engineered replacement valves. A bioreactor for tissue engineered valves must operate at conditions that optimize the biosynthetic abilities of seeded cells while promoting their adherence to the leaflet matrix. An important parameter is shear stress, which is known to influence cellular behavior and may thus be crucial in bioreactor optimization. Therefore, an accurate estimate of the shear stress on the leaflet surface would not only improve our understanding of the mechanical environment of aortic valve leaflets, but it would also aid in bioreactor design. To estimate the shear stress on the leaflet surface, two-component laser-Doppler velocimetry measurements have been conducted inside a transparent polyurethane valve with a trileaflet structure similar to the native aortic valve. Steady flow rates of 7.5, 15.0, and 22.5 L/min were examined to cover the complete range possible during the cardiac cycle. The laminar shear stresses were calculated by linear regression of four axial velocity measurements near the surface of the leaflet. The maximum shear stress recorded was 79 dyne/cm², in agreement with boundary layer theory and previous experimental and computational studies. This study has provided a range of shear stresses to be explored in bioreactor design and has defined a maximum shear stress at which cells must remain adherent upon a tissue engineered construct. © 1999 Biomedical Engineering Society. PAC99: 8719Rr, 8768+z, 8719Hh, 4262Be, 4727Nz, 0630Gv     

Effect of LVAD outflow conduit insertion angle on flow through the native aorta

Background and aim: The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of surgical anastomosis configuration of the aortic outflow conduit (AOC) from a continuous flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) on the flow fields in the aorta using CFD simulations. The geometry of the surgical integration of the LVAD is an important factor in the flow pattern that develops both in series (aortic valve closed, all flow through LVAD) and in parallel (heart pumping in addition to LVAD).

Methods: CFD models of the AOC junctions simulate geometry as cylindrical tubes that intersect at angles ranging from 30° to 90°. Velocity fields are computed over a range of cardiac output for both series and parallel flow.

Results: Our results demonstrate that the flow patterns are significantly affected by the angle of insertion of the AOC into the native aorta, both during series and parallel flow conditions. Zones of flow recirculation and high shear stress on the aortic wall can be observed at the highest angle, gradually decreasing in size until disappearing at the lowest angle of 30°. The highest velocity and shear stress values were associated with series flow.

Conclusions: The results suggest that connecting the LVAD outflow conduit to the proximal aorta at a shallower angle produces fewer secondary flow patterns in the native cardiovascular system.     

Hemodynamic Computation Using Multiphase Flow Dynamics in a Right Coronary Artery

Hemodynamic data on the roles of physiologically critical blood particulates are needed to better understand cardiovascular diseases. The blood flow patterns and particulate buildup were numerically simulated using the multiphase non-Newtonian theory of dense suspension hemodynamics in a realistic right coronary artery (RCA) having various cross sections. The local hemodynamic factors, such as wall shear stress (WSS), red blood cell (RBC) buildup, viscosity, and velocity, varied with the spatially nonuniform vessel structures and temporal cardiac cycles. The model generally predicted higher RBC buildup on the inside radius of curvature. A low WSS region was found in the high RBC buildup region, in particular, on the area of maximum curvature of a realistic human RCA. The complex recirculation patterns, the oscillatory flow with flow reversal, and vessel geometry resulted in RBC buildup due to the prolonged particulate residence time, specifically, at the end of the diastole cycle. The increase of the initial plasma viscosity caused the lower WSS. These predictions have significant implications for understanding the local hemodynamic phenomena that may contribute to the earliest stage of atherosclerosis, as clinically observed on the inside curvatures and torsion of coronary arteries.