Evaluation of a transient, simultaneous, arbitrary Lagrange–Euler based multi-physics method for simulating the mitral heart valve

Abstract

A transient multi-physics model of the mitral heart valve has been developed, which allows simultaneous calculation of fluid flow and structural deformation. A recently developed contact method has been applied to enable simulation of systole (the stage when blood pressure is elevated within the heart to pump blood to the body). The geometry was simplified to represent the mitral valve within the heart walls in two dimensions. Only the mitral valve undergoes deformation. A moving arbitrary Lagrange–Euler mesh is used to allow true fluid–structure interaction (FSI). The FSI model requires blood flow to induce valve closure by inducing strains in the region of 10–20%. Model predictions were found to be consistent with existing literature and will undergo further development.

Keywords::

• fluid–structure interaction
• Hertzian contact
• large strain
• mitral valve
• multi-physics modelling

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the British Heart Foundation for a Junior Fellowship (FS/05/32) awarded to DME during the early stages of this investigation. The research leading to these results has received funding from the [European Community's] Seventh Framework Programme [FP7/2007-2013] under a Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship for Career Development, grant agreement No. [252278], awarded to DME.