Dual-Axial Blood Pump Mechanical Circulatory Support for Fontan Patients
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
11:00 AM-1:00 PM
BIOMED Master's Thesis Defense
Title:
Dual-Axial Blood Pump Mechanical Circulatory Support for Fontan Patients
Speaker:
Shravani Birewar, Master’s Candidate, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Advisor:
Amy Throckmorton, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Abstract:
The current treatment paradigm for patients with dysfunctional or failing single ventricle physiology involves pharmacologic therapy, surgical reconstruction of the Fontan physiology, and heart transplantation. The limited number of donor hearts and complication of a Fontan surgical takedown require alternative treatment strategies for these patients. Existing mechanical circulatory support systems are inadequate for these patients since these devices were designed for the systemic circulation in patients with a biventricular circulation, not a Fontan physiology. Therefore, researchers have been developing new blood pumps for single ventricle patients.
As a new therapeutic approach, this thesis considers a newly combined configuration of dual-axial flow blood pumps located in the pulmonary arteries to mechanically support the Fontan physiology. The initial design geometries were constructed using computer-aided design software. Pump design equations and empirical data were utilized to create the differing design configurations based on pump placement, diameter, protective cage filaments, stagger angle, blade number, and operational states. The pump performance of these configurations was assessed using robust ANSYS CFX turbomachinery software. Over 150 simulations were performed over a range of blood flow rates and rotational speeds. Pressure rise, energy augmentation, and blood damage indices were determined for the pump geometries considered. All simulations showed pressure and energy augmentations within and above the needed range for improved cavopulmonary conditions. Additionally, all simulations examined for blood trauma showed mean blood damage indices below 1%.
Overall, the current research was successful and demonstrated significant proof-of-concept support in the development of a dual-support approach for patients having dysfunctional or failing Fontan physiology.
Contact Information
Ken Barbee
215-895-1335
barbee@drexel.edu