A Multiscale Model of Cardiovascular System Including an Immersed Whole Heart in the Cases of Normal and Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)

Abstract

A mathematical and computational model combining the heart and circulatory system has been developed to understand the hemodynamics of circulation under normal conditions and ventricular septal defect (VSD). The immersed boundary method has been introduced to describe the interaction between the moving two-dimensional heart and intracardiac blood flow. The whole-heart model is governed by the Navier-Stokes system; this system is combined with a multi-compartment model of circulation using pressure-flow relations and the linearity of the discretized Navier-Stokes system. We investigate the velocity field, flowmeters, and pressure-volume loop in both normal and VSD cases. Simulation results show qualitatively good agreements with others found in the literature. This model, combining the heart and circulation, is useful for understanding the complex, hemodynamic mechanisms involved in normal circulation and cardiac diseases.

Virtual and Artificial Cardiorespiratory Patients in Medicine and Biomedical Engineering

“…Here, it should be mentioned a very interesting 3D model of lungs containing living cells, which were infected with real respiratory syncytial viruses [14]. There are also a number of 3D or 2D computer models, e.g., an interesting connection of 2D model of the heart with a simple 0D model of the vascular system [15].…”