An investigation of pulsatile flow in a model cavo-pulmonary vascular system

• Published in: Communications in numerical methods in engineering Vol. 25; no. 11; pp. 1061 - 1083
• Main Authors: Chitra, K., Vengadesan, S., Sundararajan, T., Nithiarasu, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.11.2009; Wiley
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; blood flow; CFD; Compressibility; Computational techniques; Exact sciences and technology; finite element method; flow visualization; Fluid dynamics; Fontan procedure; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); General theory; Health; Hemodynamics. Rheology; inferior vena cava; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical methods in physics; Mathematical models; Numerical analysis; Physics; Quantitative analysis; Steady flow; superior vena cava; total cavo-pulmonary connection; Vertebrates: cardiovascular system; CFD; Compressibility; Scale models; Steady flow; Transient flow; Finite element method; Energy dissipation; Scaling laws; Qualitative chemical analysis; Modelling; Quantitative chemical analysis; Method of characteristics; Energy analysis; Fontan procedure; Computational fluid dynamics; Fractional step method; Experimental study; Long term; Blood flow; total cavo-pulmonary connection; inferior vena cava; Blood circulation; Pulsatile flow; Flow visualization; Energy losses; superior vena cava; Circulatory system; Man
• ISSN: 1069-8299; 2040-7947; 2040-7939; 1099-0887; 2040-7947
• DOI: 10.1002/cnm.1205

The complexities in the flow pattern in a cavo‐pulmonary vascular system—after application of the Fontan procedure in the vicinity of the superior vena cava, inferior vena cava, and the confluence at the T‐junction—are analysed. A characteristic‐based split (CBS) finite element scheme involving the artificial compressibility approach is employed to compute the resulting flow. Benchmarking of the CBS scheme is carried out using standard problems and with the flow features observed in an experimental model with the help of a dye visualization technique in model scale. The transient flow variations in a total cavo‐pulmonary connection (TCPC) under pulsatile conditions are investigated and compared with flow visualization studies. In addition to such qualitative flow investigations, quantitative analysis of energy loss and haemodynamic stresses have also been performed. The comparisons show good agreement between the numerical and experimental flow patterns. The numerically predicted shear stress values indicate that the pulsatile flow condition is likely to be more severe than steady flow, with regard to the long‐term health of the surgically corrected TCPC. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.