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A multiparameter comparative approach to the three-dimensional numerical analysis of the hemodynamics of total
Paulo Cesar Duarte Junior1, Rudolf Huebner2, Hemerson Donizete Pinheiro3
1Department of Bioengineering, Dante Pazzanese Institute of Cardiology, São Paulo, Brazil.
Insights
Simplified hemodynamic analysis for Fontan procedures can be achieved using specific simulation variables. This reduces computational needs for understanding blood flow after total cavopulmonary connection.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Computational Fluid Dynamics
Background:
- Univentricular congenital heart diseases necessitate complex surgical interventions like the Fontan procedure.
- Advanced numerical methods are crucial for understanding post-Fontan hemodynamics and optimizing surgical designs.
- Defining accurate boundary conditions for fluid behavior in altered anatomy post-Fontan procedure remains challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key variables for simplifying hemodynamic analysis in total cavopulmonary connection.
- To reduce the computational resources required for simulating post-Fontan circulation.
Main Methods:
- Performed multiparameter comparative analysis of simulations for Fontan configurations.
- Evaluated variables including flow type (laminar/turbulent), fluid model (Newtonian/non-Newtonian), and wall properties (rigid/flexible).
- Conducted simulations under rest conditions.
Main Results:
- Newtonian fluid, turbulent flow, steady regime, and rigid walls are suitable for analyzing pulmonary artery blood flow distribution.
- Newtonian fluid, turbulent flow, transient regime, and rigid walls are optimal when considering blood flow distribution, shear stress, and energy loss.
Conclusions:
- The identified variable sets offer a robust basis for future hemodynamic analyses of Fontan circulation.
- These findings enable reliable results with efficient computational resource utilization.
Purpose:
Univentricular congenital heart diseases represent a significant challenge in cardiology, requiring a complex staged treatment protocol involving total cavopulmonary connection via the Fontan procedure. The application of advanced numerical methods has proved fundamental to understanding post-surgical behavior, allowing the multidisciplinary team to design more efficient and physiologically realistic anatomies. However, the definition of boundary conditions to represent fluid behavior in anatomical changes following total cavopulmonary connection is still an emerging field, frequently relying on estimates and simplifications. This study aimed to identify an effective set of variables for simplifying the analysis of hemodynamic behavior in total cavopulmonary connection and reducing the requirement for extensive computational resources.
Methods:
A multiparameter comparative analysis of simulations was performed by using several variables under rest conditions for specific Fontan configurations, accounting for factors such as turbulent versus laminar flow, Newtonian versus non-Newtonian fluid, and rigid versus flexible vascular walls.
Results:
Two sets of variables were found to provide the best results: (i) Newtonian fluid behavior, turbulent flow, steady regime, and rigid walls were found suitable when the distribution of blood flow to the pulmonary arteries is the desired result and (ii) Newtonian fluid behavior, turbulent flow, transient regime, and rigid walls were found suitable when the distribution of blood flow to pulmonary arteries, shear stress, and energy loss are equally important.
Conclusion:
The identified sets of variables provide a solid foundation for future analyses, ensuring reliable results and an efficient use of computational resources.
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