Three-Dimensional Flow Analysis of Paravalvular Leak Jet

The paravalvular leak (PVL) jet, which occurs through the gap between the native annulus and the outer edge of the prosthetic valve, resembles a wall jet. As the PVL jet is associated with short- and long-term mortality, a detailed investigation is required. Few studies have been conducted to quantify the PVL jet; however, they mostly overlook the three-dimensional nature of the jet. This study aims to characterize the three-dimensional features of the PVL jet. Phase-locked 3D PIV was performed in vitro at ten evenly spaced time points during diastole using a plenoptic camera. 3D printed nodules were placed between the valve and jacket to mimic PVL. The pulse duplicator was configured with three different cardiac output settings, and two different-sized nodules were used to simulate mild, moderate, and severe PVL. The presence of spanwise curvature is a distinctive feature of the PVL jet that differentiates it from a conventional wall jet. As a reason, the PVL jets are crescent-shaped. This curvature effect influences the characteristics of the PVL jet, including its morphology, spread rate, velocity decay, and trajectory, making them distinct from those of a typical wall jet. Further, characterizing the PVL jet could improve diagnostics and severity prediction.