A density-dependent FEM-FCT algorithm with application to modeling platelet aggregation

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Computational Biology
• Hematology

Background:

• Platelet aggregation and blood clot formation are vital hemostatic processes.
• Intravascular thrombosis models exist, but extravascular bleeding requires new computational tools for complex geometries.
• Existing models use hindered transport coefficients to simulate maximum platelet packing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a computational method for modeling blood clot formation in extravascular injury scenarios.
• To extend previous continuum models of intravascular clot formation to complex extravascular geometries.
• To ensure numerical results satisfy maximum platelet-density packing constraints.

Main Methods:

• Modification of a finite element method flux-corrected transport (FEM-FCT) scheme.
• Prelimiting antidiffusive nodal fluxes within the FEM-FCT scheme.
• Testing the modified scheme with various problems, including mesh refinement and different reaction rates.

Main Results:

• The modified FEM-FCT scheme successfully models clot formation in complex geometries.
• Numerical results consistently satisfy maximum platelet-density packing constraints.
• The scheme demonstrates robustness across different mesh types and reaction rates.

Conclusions:

• The developed FEM-FCT scheme is a viable computational tool for simulating extravascular bleeding.
• This advancement enables more accurate modeling of thrombosis in complex injury scenarios.
• The method ensures physiological constraints, like maximum platelet packing, are respected in simulations.