0
Journal of Biomechanical Engineering | Volume 131 | Issue 3 | Research Paper
Research Papers

Two-Dimensional Simulation of Flow and Platelet Dynamics in the Hinge Region of a Mechanical Heart Valve

[+] Author and Article Information
V. Govindarajan

Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of lowa, 1402 SC, lowa City, IA 52242

H. S. Udaykumar

Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, The University of lowa, lowa City, IA 52242; IIHR-Hydroscience and Engineering, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242

K. B. Chandran1

Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of lowa, 1402 SC, lowa City, IA 52242; IIHR-Hydroscience and Engineering, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242chandran@engineering.uiowa.edu

1

Corresponding author.

J Biomech Eng 131(3), 031002 (Dec 31, 2008) (12 pages) doi:10.1115/1.3005158 History: Revised August 14, 2008; Received October 22, 2008; Published December 31, 2008
Article
References
Figures
Tables
Citing Articles

The hinge region of a mechanical bileaflet valve is implicated in blood damage and initiation of thrombus formation. Detailed fluid dynamic analysis in the complex geometry of the hinge region during the closing phase of the bileaflet valve is the focus of this study to understand the effect of fluid-induced stresses on the activation of platelets. A fixed-grid Cartesian mesh flow solver is used to simulate the blood flow through a two-dimensional geometry of the hinge region of a bileaflet mechanical valve. Use of local mesh refinement algorithm provides mesh adaptation based on the gradients of flow in the constricted geometry of the hinge. Leaflet motion is specified from the fluid-structure interaction analysis of the leaflet dynamics during the closing phase from a previous study, which focused on the fluid mechanics at the gap between the leaflet edges and the valve housing. A Lagrangian particle tracking method is used to model and track the platelets and to compute the magnitude of the shear stress on the platelets as they pass through the hinge region. Results show that there is a boundary layer separation in the gaps between the leaflet ear and the constricted hinge geometry. Separated shear layers roll up into vortical structures that lead to high residence times combined with exposure to high-shear stresses for particles in the hinge region. Particles are preferentially entrained into this recirculation zone, presenting the possibility of platelet activation, aggregation, and initiation of thrombi.
FIGURES IN THIS ARTICLE
<>
Copyright © 2009 by American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Your Session has timed out. Please sign back in to continue.

References

1
Yoganathan, A. P., Chandran, K. B., and Sotiropoulos, F., 2005, “Flow in Prosthetic Heart Valves: State-of-the-Art and Future Directions,” Ann. Biomed. Eng.  [CrossRef], 33 (12), pp. 1689–1694.
2
Yoganathan, A. P., He, Z., and Casey Jones, S., 2004, “Fluid Mechanics of Heart Valves,” Annu. Rev. Biomed. Eng.  [CrossRef], 6 , pp. 331–362.
3
Cannegieter, S. C., Rosendaal, F. R., and Briet, E., 1994, “Thromboembolic and Bleeding Complications in Patients With Mechanical Heart Valve Prostheses,” Circulation, 89 (2), pp. 635–641.
4
Einav, S., and Bluestein, D., 2004, “Dynamics of Blood Flow and Platelet Transport in Pathological Vessels,” Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 1015 , pp. 351–366.
5
Hellums, J. D., 1994, “1993 Whitaker Lecture: Biorheology in Thrombosis Research,” Ann. Biomed. Eng.  [CrossRef], 22 (5), pp. 445–455.
6
Bluestein, D., Niu, L., Schoephoerster, R. T., and Dewanjee, M. K., 1997, “Fluid Mechanics of Arterial Stenosis: Relationship to the Development of Mural Thrombus,” Ann. Biomed. Eng.  [CrossRef], 25 (2), pp. 344–356.
7
Jesty, J., Yin, W., Perrotta, P., and Bluestein, D., 2003, “Platelet Activation in a Circulating Flow Loop: Combined Effects of Shear Stress and Exposure Time,” Platelets, 14 (3), pp. 143–149, http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t713442010~db=all.
8
Ramstack, J. M., Zuckerman, L., and Mockros, L. F., 1979, “Shear-Induced Activation of Platelets,” J. Biomech.  [CrossRef], 12 (2), pp. 113–125.
9
Krishnan, S., Udaykumar, H. S., Marshall, J. S., and Chandran, K. B., 2006, “Two-Dimensional Dynamic Simulation of Platelet Activation During Mechanical Heart Valve Closure,” Ann. Biomed. Eng.  [CrossRef], 34 (10), pp. 1519–1534.
10
Ellis, J. T., Healy, T. M., Fontaine, A. A., Saxena, R., and Yoganathan, A. P., 1996, “Velocity Measurements and Flow Patterns Within the Hinge Region of a Medtronic Parallel Bileaflet Mechanical Valve With Clear Housing,” J. Heart Valve Dis., 5 (6), pp. 591–599.
11
Healy, T. M., Fontaine, A. A., Ellis, J. T., Walton, S. P., and Yoganathan, A. P., 1998, “Visualization of the Hinge Flow in a 5:1 Scaled Model of the Medtronic Parallel Bileaflet Heart Valve Prosthesis,” Exp. Fluids  [CrossRef], 25 (5–6), pp. 512–518.
12
Bodnar, E., Grunkemeier, G. L., and Gabbay, S., 1999, “Heart Valve Replacement: A Statistical Review of 35Years Results—Discussion,” J. Heart Valve Dis., 8 , pp. 470–471.
13
Manning, K. B., Kini, V., Fontaine, A. A., Deutsch, S., and Tarbell, J. M., 2003, “Regurgitant Flow Field Characteristics of the St. Jude Bileaflet Mechanical Heart Valve Under Physiologic Pulsatile Flow Using Particle Image Velocimetry,” Artif. Organs  [CrossRef], 27 (9), pp. 840–846.
14
Woo, Y. R., and Yoganathan, A. P., 1986, “Pulsatile Flow Velocity and Shear Stress Measurements on the St. Jude Bileaflet Valve Prosthesis,” Scand. J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg., 20 (1), pp. 15–28.
15
Gross, J. M., Shu, M. C., Dai, F. F., Ellis, J., and Yoganathan, A. P., 1996, “A Microstructural Flow Analysis Within a Bileaflet Mechanical Heart Valve Hinge,” J. Heart Valve Dis., 5 (6), pp. 581–590.
16
Simon, H. A., Leo, H. L., Carberry, J., and Yoganathan, A. P., 2004, “Comparison of the Hinge Flow Fields of Two Bileaflet Mechanical Heart Valves Under Aortic and Mitral Conditions,” Ann. Biomed. Eng.  [CrossRef], 32 (12), pp. 1607–1617.
17
Gao, Z. B., Hosein, N., Dai, F. F., and Hwang, N. H., 1999, “Pressure and Flow Fields in the Hinge Region of Bileaflet Mechanical Heart Valves,” J. Heart Valve Dis., 8 (2), pp. 197–205.
18
Quinlan, N. J., 2006, “Comment on “Prosthetic Heart Valves’ Mechanical Loading of Red Blood Cells in Patients With Hereditary Membrane Defects” by Grigioni et al. , Jou. Biomecha., 38, pp. 1557–1565,” J. Biomech., 39 (13), pp. 2542–2544.
19
Quinlan, N. J., and Dooley, P. N., 2007, “Models of Flow-Induced Loading on Blood Cells in Laminar and Turbulent Flow, With Application to Cardiovascular Device Flow,” Ann. Biomed. Eng., 35 (8), pp. 1347–1356.
20
Ge, L., Dasi, L. P., Sotiropoulos, F., and Yoganathan, A. P., 2008, “Characterization of Hemodynamic Forces Induced by Mechanical Heart Valves: Reynolds vs Viscous Shear Stresses,” Ann. Biomed. Eng., 36 (2), pp. 276–297.
21
Dasi, L. P., Ge, L., Simon, H. A., Sotiropoulos, F., and Yoganathan, A. P., 2007, “Vorticity Dynamics of a Bileaflet Mechanical Valve in an Asymmetric Aorta,” Phys. Fluids  [CrossRef], 19 , pp. 1–17.
22
Ellis, J. T., Travis, B. R., and Yoganathan, A. P., 2000, “An In Vitro Study of the Hinge and Near-Field Forward Flow Dynamics of the St. Jude Medical Regent Bileaflet Mechanical Heart Valve,” Ann. Biomed. Eng.  [CrossRef], 28 (5), pp. 524–532.
23
Marella, S., Krishnan, S., Liu, H., and Udaykumar, H. S., 2005, “Sharp Interface Cartesian Grid Method I: An Easily Implemented Technique for 3D Moving Boundary Computations,” J. Comput. Phys., 210 , pp. 1–31.
24
Liu, H., Krishnan, S., Marella, S., and Udaykumar, H. S., 2005, “Sharp Interface Cartesian Grid Method II: A Technique for Simulating Droplet Interactions With Surfaces of Arbitrary Shape,” J. Comput. Phys.  [CrossRef], 210 , pp. 32–54.
25
Udaykumar, H., Mittal, R., Rampunggoon, P., and Khanna, A., 2001, “A Fixed Grid Sharp Interface Method for Flows in the Presence of Moving Embedded Solid Boundaries,” J. Comput. Phys.  [CrossRef], 174 , pp. 1–36.
26
Udaykumar, H. S., Marella, S., and Krishnan, S., 2003, “Sharp-Interface Simulation of Dendritic Growth With Convection: Benchmarks,” Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 46 , pp. 2615–2627.
27
Greaves, D., 2004, “A Quadtree Adaptive Method for Simulating Fluid Flows With Moving Interfaces,” J. Comput. Phys., 194 , pp. 35–56.
28
Greaves, D., 2004, “Simulations of Interfaces and Free Surface Flows in a Viscous Fluid Using Adaptive Quadtree Grids,” Int. J. Numer. Methods Fluids, 44 , pp. 1093–1117.
29
Chen, H., and Marshall, J. S., 1999, “A Lagrangian Vorticity Method for Two-Phase Particulate Flows With Two-Way Coupling,” J. Comput. Phys.  [CrossRef], 148 , pp. 169–198.
30
Lai, Y. G., Chandran, K. B., and Lemmon, J., 2002, “A Numerical Simulation of Mechanical Heart Valve Closure Fluid Dynamics,” J. Biomech.  [CrossRef], 35 (7), pp. 881–892.
31
Bluestein, D., Yin, W., Affeld, K., and Jesty, J., 2004, “Flow-Induced Platelet Activation in Mechanical Heart Valves,” J. Heart Valve Dis., 13 (3), pp. 501–508.
32
Colantoini, G., Hellums, J. D., Maoke, J. L., and Alfrey, C. P., 1977, “The Response of Human Platelets to Shear Stress at Short Exposure Times,” Trans. Am. Soc. Artif. Intern. Organs, 23 , pp. 626–631.
33
Brown, C., Leverett, L., Lewis, C., Alfrey, C., and Hellums, J., 1975, “Morphological, Biochemical, and Functional Changes in Human Platelets Subjected to Shear Stress,” J. Lab. Clin. Med., 86 (3), pp. 462–471.
34
Anderson, G. H., Hellums, J. D., Moake, J. L., and Alfrey, C. P., 1978, “Platelet Lysis and Aggregation in Shear Fields,” Blood Cells, 4 (3), pp. 499–511.
35
Weston, M. W., Goldstein, S., Epting, R. E., He, S., Mauldin, J. M., and Yoganathan, A. P., 1997, “Establishing a Protocol to Quantify Leaflet Fibroblast Responses to Physiologic Flow Through a Viable Heart Valve,” ASAIO J., 43 (5), pp. M377–M382.
36
Giddens, D. P., Yoganathan, A. P., and Schoen, F. J., 1993, “Prosthetic Cardiac Valves,” Cardiovasc. Pathol., 2 , pp. S167–S177.
37
Tambasco, M., and Steinman, D. A., 2003, “Path-Dependent Hemodynamics of the Stenosed Carotid Bifurcation,” Ann. Biomed. Eng.  [CrossRef], 31 (9), pp. 1054–1065.

Figures

Grahic Jump Location
+(a) Schematic of the hinge geometry used in the analysis with dimensions and the leaflet ear position at 32deg and the fully closed position at 63.8deg. Also indicated are the applied boundary conditions. (b) Angular velocity of the leaflet starting at 32deg moving toward closure. (c) Time varying pressure drop at the vicinity of the hinge region specified as pressure boundary condition. (d) Plot of the Cartesian grid with local mesh refinement on the hinge geometry. The mesh is adapted according to the gradients of flow for efficiency and accuracy. (e) Comparison of velocity profiles at an instant in the lower gap width with the base mesh and the finer mesh density.
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
(a) Schematic of the hinge geometry used in the analysis with dimensions and the leaflet ear position at 32deg and the fully closed position at 63.8deg. Also indicated are the applied boundary conditions. (b) Angular velocity of the leaflet starting at 32deg moving toward closure. (c) Time varying pressure drop at the vicinity of the hinge region specified as pressure boundary condition. (d) Plot of the Cartesian grid with local mesh refinement on the hinge geometry. The mesh is adapted according to the gradients of flow for efficiency and accuracy. (e) Comparison of velocity profiles at an instant in the lower gap width with the base mesh and the finer mesh density.
Figure 2

(a) Schematic of the hinge geometry used in the analysis with dimensions and the leaflet ear position at 32deg and the fully closed position at 63.8deg. Also indicated are the applied boundary conditions. (b) Angular velocity of the leaflet starting at 32deg moving toward closure. (c) Time varying pressure drop at the vicinity of the hinge region specified as pressure boundary condition. (d) Plot of the Cartesian grid with local mesh refinement on the hinge geometry. The mesh is adapted according to the gradients of flow for efficiency and accuracy. (e) Comparison of velocity profiles at an instant in the lower gap width with the base mesh and the finer mesh density.

Grahic Jump Location
+(a) Velocity, (b) shear stress, (c) vorticity contour plots in the hinge region based on the static analysis with the leaflet ear in the fully closed position, and (d) platelet activation parameter calculated during static analysis. Jetlike flow and high bulk shear stresses through the gap width, as well as the development of strong vortices that are advected away from the leaflet edge, can be observed.
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
(a) Velocity, (b) shear stress, (c) vorticity contour plots in the hinge region based on the static analysis with the leaflet ear in the fully closed position, and (d) platelet activation parameter calculated during static analysis. Jetlike flow and high bulk shear stresses through the gap width, as well as the development of strong vortices that are advected away from the leaflet edge, can be observed.
Figure 3

(a) Velocity, (b) shear stress, (c) vorticity contour plots in the hinge region based on the static analysis with the leaflet ear in the fully closed position, and (d) platelet activation parameter calculated during static analysis. Jetlike flow and high bulk shear stresses through the gap width, as well as the development of strong vortices that are advected away from the leaflet edge, can be observed.

Grahic Jump Location
+The velocity, fluid shear stress (FSS), and platelet concentration distribution at cross sections 1–3 within the gap width with the rectangular geometry of the leaflet ear. The horizontal axis indicates the distance from the valve housing (lower) edge to the leaflet ear (top) edge in reference to the figure within the gap width (GW) in the schematic of the geometry (top panel).
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
The velocity, fluid shear stress (FSS), and platelet concentration distribution at cross sections 1–3 within the gap width with the rectangular geometry of the leaflet ear. The horizontal axis indicates the distance from the valve housing (lower) edge to the leaflet ear (top) edge in reference to the figure within the gap width (GW) in the schematic of the geometry (top panel).
Figure 5

The velocity, fluid shear stress (FSS), and platelet concentration distribution at cross sections 1–3 within the gap width with the rectangular geometry of the leaflet ear. The horizontal axis indicates the distance from the valve housing (lower) edge to the leaflet ear (top) edge in reference to the figure within the gap width (GW) in the schematic of the geometry (top panel).

Grahic Jump Location
+Flow field with contours of existing geometry and the ellipsoidal geometry: (a) velocity contour showing the leakage jet from the hinge region, (b) shear stress contour during the late stage of valve closure where the shear stress reaches the maximum value, (c) particle concentration, and (d) activation parameter at the time of closure.
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
Flow field with contours of existing geometry and the ellipsoidal geometry: (a) velocity contour showing the leakage jet from the hinge region, (b) shear stress contour during the late stage of valve closure where the shear stress reaches the maximum value, (c) particle concentration, and (d) activation parameter at the time of closure.
Figure 6

Flow field with contours of existing geometry and the ellipsoidal geometry: (a) velocity contour showing the leakage jet from the hinge region, (b) shear stress contour during the late stage of valve closure where the shear stress reaches the maximum value, (c) particle concentration, and (d) activation parameter at the time of closure.

Grahic Jump Location
+Activation parameter during various stages of valve closure of the two geometries. The thick line shows the activation parameter of the existing geometry and the dashed line shows that of the ellipsoidal geometry.
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
Activation parameter during various stages of valve closure of the two geometries. The thick line shows the activation parameter of the existing geometry and the dashed line shows that of the ellipsoidal geometry.
Figure 7

Activation parameter during various stages of valve closure of the two geometries. The thick line shows the activation parameter of the existing geometry and the dashed line shows that of the ellipsoidal geometry.

Grahic Jump Location
+The product of activation parameter and the concentration of platelets at the end stage of closure for (a) existing geometry and (b) elliptical geometry. It can be inferred that the number of platelets getting trapped in the region of high activation is less in the elliptical geometry than in the existing geometry.
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
The product of activation parameter and the concentration of platelets at the end stage of closure for (a) existing geometry and (b) elliptical geometry. It can be inferred that the number of platelets getting trapped in the region of high activation is less in the elliptical geometry than in the existing geometry.
Figure 8

The product of activation parameter and the concentration of platelets at the end stage of closure for (a) existing geometry and (b) elliptical geometry. It can be inferred that the number of platelets getting trapped in the region of high activation is less in the elliptical geometry than in the existing geometry.

Grahic Jump Location
+Plots of (a) velocity (m/s), (b) fluid shear stress (Pa), (c) concentration, and (d) simulated platelet activation (Pa s) at various stages of the closing phase in the dynamic analysis of flow in the hinge region
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
Plots of (a) velocity (m/s), (b) fluid shear stress (Pa), (c) concentration, and (d) simulated platelet activation (Pa s) at various stages of the closing phase in the dynamic analysis of flow in the hinge region
Figure 4

Plots of (a) velocity (m/s), (b) fluid shear stress (Pa), (c) concentration, and (d) simulated platelet activation (Pa s) at various stages of the closing phase in the dynamic analysis of flow in the hinge region

Grahic Jump Location
+(a) Photograph of a bileaflet valve. (b) Three-dimensional model of 1∕4 of a bileaflet valve with a cutting plane from which the two-dimensional model was extracted. (c) Zoomed in view of the hinge region. (d) Resultant two-dimensional model that was used in this study.
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
(a) Photograph of a bileaflet valve. (b) Three-dimensional model of 1∕4 of a bileaflet valve with a cutting plane from which the two-dimensional model was extracted. (c) Zoomed in view of the hinge region. (d) Resultant two-dimensional model that was used in this study.
Figure 1

(a) Photograph of a bileaflet valve. (b) Three-dimensional model of 1∕4 of a bileaflet valve with a cutting plane from which the two-dimensional model was extracted. (c) Zoomed in view of the hinge region. (d) Resultant two-dimensional model that was used in this study.

Tables

Errata

Some tools below are only available to our subscribers or users with an online account.

Related Content

Customize your page view by dragging and repositioning the boxes below.

Related Journal Articles
Related eBook Content
Hydrodynamic Lubrication
Design of Mechanical Bearings in Cardiac Assist Devices
Introduction
Design of Mechanical Bearings in Cardiac Assist Devices
Completing the Picture
Air Engines> Chapter 11
Control and Operational Performance
Closed-Cycle Gas Turbines> Chapter 5
Introduction
Mechanical Blood Trauma in Circulatory-Assist Devices
Topic Collections

Sorry! You do not have access to this content. For assistance or to subscribe, please contact us:

  • TELEPHONE: 1-800-843-2763 (Toll-free in the USA)
  • EMAIL: asmedigitalcollection@asme.org
This site uses cookies. By continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our privacy policy. | Accept
Sign In