סמינר מחלקתי Rotem Halevi בית הספר להנדסה מכאנית

School of Mechanical Engineering Seminar
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 at 15:00
Wolfson Building of Mechanical Engineering, Room 206

MECHANICAL INVESTIGATION OF AORTIC VALVE PROGRESSIVE CALCIFICATION USING REFINED COMPUTATIONAL MODELS

Rotem Halevi

 Prof. Rami Haj-Ali

The aortic valve (AV) is a bio-mechanical system responsible for the unidirectional flow between the left ventricle (LV) and the aorta.  Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is characterized by calcification of the AV cusps leading to thickening and stiffening of the cusps' tissue until blood flow to the body is obstructed.  The CAVD affects approximately 30% of adults above 65 years old. 

The important role of mechanical strains/stresses and flow shear stresses (FSSs) in the initiation and regulation of the CAVD progression have been extensively studied.  However, there is lack of data on early stages of CAVD and the parameters of its growth since CAVD is usually asymptomatic until the disease is in advance stage. 

This study employed finite element models (FEMs), computation fluid dynamics (CFDs), fluid-structure interaction (FSI) models, and a mechano-biology models to investigate the calcification development. The study began with investigation the calcifications shapes and defining typical geometries. A new method for simulating the calcification growth based on Computed tomography (CT) scans were developed. Using this method, different stages of CAVD are modeled in numerical analyses. Finally, a newly proposed mechano-biology algorithm was used to predict calcification growth based on cusp strains. All analyses and methods were based on and calibrated to clinical data. The research provides new knowledge on the disease initiation and growth and may help find a better treatment for the disease.

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