In vivo validation of a one-dimensional finite-element method for predicting blood flow in cardiovascular bypass grafts

• Published in: IEEE transactions on biomedical engineering 2003-06, Vol.50 (6), p.649-656
• Main Authors: Steele, B.N., Jing Wan, Ku, J.P., Hughes, T.J.R., Taylor, C.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anastomosis, Surgical; Animals; Aorta, Thoracic - physiopathology; Aorta, Thoracic - surgery; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical materials; Blood flow; Blood Flow Velocity; Bypasses; Cardiology; Computational modeling; Computer Simulation; Constriction, Pathologic - physiopathology; Coronary Artery Bypass; Distributed computing; Equations; Finite Element Analysis; Finite element methods; Flow rate; Fluid flow measurement; Graft Occlusion, Vascular - physiopathology; In vivo; In vivo tests; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Medical sciences; Models, Cardiovascular; Preoperative Care - methods; Surgery; Surgery, Computer-Assisted - methods; Surgical implants; Swine; Thoracic Arteries - physiopathology; Thoracic Arteries - surgery; Transplants
• ISSN: 0018-9294; 1558-2531
• DOI: 10.1109/TBME.2003.812201

Current practice in vascular surgery utilizes only diagnostic and empirical data to plan treatments and does not enable quantitative a priori prediction of the outcomes of interventions. We have previously described a new approach to vascular surgery planning based on solving the governing equations of blood flow in patient-specific models. A one-dimensional finite-element method was used to simulate blood flow in eight porcine thoraco-thoraco aortic bypass models. The predicted flow rate was compared to in vivo data obtained using cine phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging. The mean absolute difference between computed and measured flow distribution in the stenosed aorta was found to be 4.2% with the maximum difference of 10.6% and a minimum difference of 0.4%. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the flow rate and distribution with respect to stenosis and branch losses were quantified.