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A strain-based model for mechanical hemolysis based on a coarse-grained red blood cell model
Hussein M Ezzeldin1, Marco D de Tullio, Marcos Vanella
1Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The George Washington University, Academic Center, 720F, 801 22ND Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20052, USA.
Annals of Biomedical Engineering
|February 19, 2015
Summary
This study enhances models of mechanical hemolysis, or red blood cell (RBC) damage, in cardiovascular devices. A high-fidelity RBC model reveals limitations of current shear-stress-based approaches, guiding future device design.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Computational Fluid Dynamics
- Hematology
Background:
- Mechanical hemolysis is a critical issue in cardiovascular device design, including prosthetic heart valves and ventricular assist devices.
- Current models often link red blood cell (RBC) damage to shear stress and exposure time, but lack detailed RBC biomechanics.
- Recent strain-based models offer more realistic RBC responses to hydrodynamic forces.
Purpose of the Study:
- To extend strain-based hemolysis models using a high-fidelity red blood cell (RBC) representation.
- To compare the accuracy of existing hemolysis models against a detailed RBC dynamics approach.
- To evaluate model performance in both simple shear flows and a practical artificial heart valve configuration.
Main Methods:
- Developed a high-fidelity red blood cell (RBC) model based on a coarse-grained particle dynamics approach.
- Conducted numerical simulations in simple shear flows of varying complexity.
- Computed blood flow through an artificial heart valve to assess model applicability.
Main Results:
- Highlighted significant differences between existing and high-fidelity RBC models.
- Quantified the accuracy of simpler models in predicting RBC damage.
- Identified key limitations in current hemolysis modeling strategies.
Conclusions:
- The high-fidelity RBC model provides a more accurate assessment of mechanical hemolysis.
- Existing shear-stress-based models have limitations in capturing complex RBC behavior.
- Results guide the development of improved cardiovascular devices with reduced hemolytic potential.
