Simulation of the human cardiovascular system for real-time physical interaction with an assist device

In the development of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), numerical simulations of the cardiovascular (CV) system have been widely used. Further, electro-hydraulic simulations have been developed to evaluate the performance of a physical LVAD prototype against a numerical model of the CV system. The effects of dynamic cardiac compression (DCC) have been less well modeled. This paper considers the interaction between a DCC device and a closed-loop numerical model of the cardiovascular system, which is specifically developed. The model is operated in realtime, and interfaced to the physical assist device for realistic testing. Assist control strategies are compared: constant pressure DCC, and volume-proportional pressure to simulate cardiomyoplasty. The model shows that applying equal pressure to both ventricles causes inflation of the left ventricle.