Simulating Pediatric Ventricular Assist Device Operation Using Fluid Structure Interaction

Ventricular Assist Devices (VADs) provide mechanical circulatory support to patients in heart failure. They are primarily used to extend life until cardiac transplant, but also show promise as a ``bridge-to-recovery'' device in pediatric patients. Commercially available pediatric pumps are pulsatile displacement pumps, with two distinct chambers for air and blood separated by a thin, flexible membrane. The air chamber pneumatically drives the membrane, which drives blood through the other chamber via displacement. The primary risk factor associated with these devices is stroke or embolism due to thrombogenesis in the blood chamber, occurring in as many as 40\% of patients. Our goal is to perform simulations that accurately model the hemodynamics of the device, as well as the non-linear membrane buckling. We apply a finite-element based fluid solver, with an Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) framework to account for mesh motion. Isogeometric Analysis with a Kirchhoff-Love shell formulation is used on the membrane, and two distinct fluid subdomains are used for the air and blood chambers. The Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) problem is solved simultaneously, using a Matrix Free method to model the interactions at the fluid-structure boundary. Methods and results are presented.