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Lumped-Parameter and Finite Element Modeling of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction
Published on: February 13, 2021
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A multi-scale computational model for the passive mechanical behavior of right ventricular myocardium
David S Li1, Emilio A Mendiola1, Reza Avazmohammadi2
1James T. Willerson Center for Cardiovascular Modeling and Simulation, Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials
|April 15, 2023
Summary
We developed a 3D model of the right ventricle free wall (RVFW) to understand how muscle fibers and collagen interact. This model accurately predicts RVFW mechanical behavior, highlighting the importance of micro-anatomy in cardiac function.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Mechanics
- Biomedical Engineering
- Computational Biology
Background:
- Myofiber-collagen interactions critically influence the passive mechanical properties of the right ventricle free wall (RVFW) myocardium.
- Understanding these complex interactions requires advanced modeling techniques.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a high-fidelity, micro-anatomically realistic 3D finite element model of the RVFW myocardium.
- To investigate the coupling mechanisms between myofibers and collagen in determining RVFW passive mechanical behavior.
Main Methods:
- A representative tissue element (RTE) model was created at the sub-tissue scale using specialized constitutive relations for myofibers and ECM collagen.
- High-resolution imaging and supercomputer-based simulations (FEniCS) were employed to compute the effective stress-strain response of the RTE.
- A multi-scale approach, including 'bottom-up' homogenization, was used to determine tissue-level biaxial behavior from the RTE model.
Main Results:
- The 3D finite element model successfully reproduced the tissue-level mechanical behavior of the RVFW across all biaxial deformation modes.
- Model parameters were estimated by fitting 'top-down' biaxial stress-strain behavior and validated via 'bottom-up' homogenization.
- The study confirmed the accuracy of the micro-anatomical arrangement of myofibers and ECM collagen in predicting mechanical responses.
Conclusions:
- The 3D micro-anatomical arrangement of myofibers and ECM collagen is a primary driver of myofiber-collagen interactions in the RVFW.
- The developed finite element model provides a powerful tool for studying cardiac mechanics.
- This research deepens the understanding of passive mechanical behavior in the right ventricle free wall.
