Surgical Modulation of Pulmonary Artery Shear Stress: A Patient-Specific CFD Analysis of the Norwood Procedure

This study created 3D CFD models of the Norwood procedure for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) using standard angiography and echocardiogram data to investigate the impact of shunt characteristics on pulmonary artery (PA) hemodynamics. Leveraging routine clinical data offers advantages such as availability and cost-effectiveness without subjecting patients to additional invasive procedures.

Patient-specific geometries of the intrathoracic arteries of two Norwood patients were generated from biplane cineangiograms. "Virtual surgery" was then performed to simulate the hemodynamics of alternative PA shunt configurations, including shunt type (modified Blalock-Thomas-Taussig shunt (mBTTS) vs. right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery shunt (RVPAS)), shunt diameter, and pulmonary artery anastomosis angle. Left-right pulmonary flow differential, Q_p/Q_s, time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS), and oscillatory shear index (OSI) were evaluated.

There was strong agreement between clinically measured data and CFD model output throughout the patient-specific models. Geometries with a RVPAS tended toward more balanced left-right pulmonary flow, lower Q_p/Q_s, and greater TAWSS and OSI than models with a mBTTS. For both shunt types, larger shunts resulted in a higher Q_p/Q_s and higher TAWSS, with minimal effect on OSI. Low TAWSS areas correlated with regions of low flow and changing the PA-shunt anastomosis angle to face toward low TAWSS regions increased TAWSS.

Excellent correlation between clinically measured and CFD model data shows that 3D CFD models of HLHS Norwood can be developed using standard angiography and echocardiographic data. The CFD analysis also revealed consistent changes in PA TAWSS, flow differential, and OSI as a function of shunt characteristics.