Dynamic VAD simulations: Performing accurate simulations of ventricular assist devices in interaction with the cardiovascular system.

Abstract

Medical advancements, particularly in ventricular assist devices (VADs), have notably advanced heart failure (HF) treatment, improving patient outcomes. However, challenges such as adverse events (strokes, bleeding and thrombosis) persist. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are instrumental in understanding VAD flow dynamics and the associated flow-induced adverse events resulting from non-physiological flow conditions in the VAD.This study aims to validate critical CFD simulation parameters for accurate VAD simulations interacting with the cardiovascular system, building upon the groundwork laid by Hahne et al. A bidirectional coupling technique was used to model dynamic (pulsatile) flow conditions of the VAD CFD interacting with the cardiovascular system. Mesh size, time steps and simulation method (URANS, LES) were systematically varied to evaluate their impact on the dynamic pump performance (dynamic $H-Q$ curve) of the HeartMate 3, aiming to find the optimal simulation configuration for accurately reproduce the dynamic $H-Q$ curve. The new Overlapping Ratio (OR) method was developed and applied to quantify dynamic $H-Q$ curves.In particular, mesh and time step sizes were found to have the greatest influence on the calculated pump performance. Therefore, small time steps and large mesh sizes are recommended to obtain accurate dynamic $H-Q$ curves. On the other hand, the influence of the simulation method was not significant in this study. This study contributes to advancing VAD simulations, ultimately enhancing clinical efficacy and patient outcomes.