High Resolution Numerical Simulations of LVAD Outflow graft Haemodynamics

For patients who have reached late stage heart failure, Left Ventricle Assist Device (LVAD) therapy is a life-saving treatment which involves surgical implantation of a battery operated mechanical pump that supplements blood supply to the body. However, this therapy may involve significant risks such as bleeding as well as thrombosis and the causes for these are not very well understood.Some studies have suggested that orientation of the outflow graft attached to the aorta impacts the onset of these events substantially. Hence, this study aims to numerically simulate blood flow from the graft to the aorta and analyze qualitatively and quantitatively the flow metrics that may indicate onset of such adversarial events.This is undertaken using 3-D patient specific geometry as well as solution of Incompressible Navier-Stokes equation using the substantially validated Curvilinear Immersed Boundary(CURVIB) solver, coupled with a Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) algorithm to simulate aortic wall compliance.