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The effects of the tilt angle of a bileaflet mechanical heart valve on blood flow and leaflet motion

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Abstract

Diseased heart valves can be replaced with bileaflet mechanical heart valves (BMHVs), which may be affected by complications such as hemolysis, platelet activation and device failure. These complications are closely related to the characteristics of blood flow through mechanical valves and leaflet dynamics, and can become worse with tilted implantation of BMHVs. This study simulated the interactions of blood flow and leaflet motion for BMHVs implanted at different tilt angles. A fluid-structure interaction (FSI) method was employed to solve the problems of blood flow and leaflet motion interactively. A validation of the present numerical methods was performed against data produced in a previous work, indicating that the method presented in this study is reliable. Our results reveal detailed blood flow and leaflet motion in an aorta caused by the systole and diastole of the ventricle. As the tilt angle increased, the degree of asymmetry of blood flow and the time delay in the motions of the two different leaflets also increased, which may cause worsening of complications.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 446-701, Korea

    Chang Nyung Kim

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 446-701, Korea

    Taehyup Hong

Authors
  1. Chang Nyung Kim
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  2. Taehyup Hong
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Correspondence to Chang Nyung Kim.

Additional information

This paper was recommended for publication in revised form by Associate Editor Do Hyung Lee

Chang Nyung Kim is a Professor of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Republic of Korea. He received his Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles. His research includes microfluid dynamics and environmental fluid dynamics.

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Kim, C.N., Hong, T. The effects of the tilt angle of a bileaflet mechanical heart valve on blood flow and leaflet motion. J Mech Sci Technol 26, 819–825 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-011-1240-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-011-1240-z

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