Hemodynamic aspects of the Budd-Chiari syndrome of the liver: A computational model study

Area of Science:

• * Physiology
• * Medical Engineering
• * Hepatology

Background:

• * Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) is a rare hepatic vascular disease characterized by hepatic vein obstruction.
• * Limited quantitative data exists on the systemic circulatory changes associated with BCS.
• * Understanding these hemodynamic alterations is crucial for effective clinical management.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To develop and present an electrical analog model of hepatic circulation.
• * To incorporate the Hepatic Arterial Buffer Response (HABR) mechanism into the model.
• * To simulate and analyze hemodynamic changes in normal and BCS conditions.

Main Methods:

• * Development of an electrical analog model simulating hepatic circulation.
• * Inclusion of the Hepatic Arterial Buffer Response (HABR) in both liver lobes.
• * Simulation of hepatic blood flow under normal and acute Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) conditions.

Main Results:

• * The model successfully simulated hepatic circulation under normal and BCS conditions.
• * Observed reduced total portal flow and increased arterial flow in simulated BCS.
• * The model captured subtle, previously reported hemodynamic features of BCS.

Conclusions:

• * The developed electrical analog model accurately represents hepatic circulation dynamics.
• * The model can simulate key hemodynamic changes observed in Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS).
• * This model may serve as a valuable tool for analyzing BCS hemodynamics and supporting clinical interventions.