Multiscale Modeling of Blood Flow and Clotting in Cardiovascular Devices

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The advent of implantable blood recirculating devices has provided life saving solutions to patients with severe cardiovascular diseases. Ventricular assist devices (VAD), blood pumps, and prosthetic heart valves (PHV) provide short to long term solutions for such patients. However, blood clots formation and the attendant risk for stroke remains an impediment to these devices. The complex life-long anticoagulant drug regimen they require, which induces vulnerability to hemorrhage and is not a viable therapy for some patients, does not eliminate this risk. Clot formation is potentiated by contact with foreign surfaces and the non-physiologic flow patterns that enhance the hemostatic response by chronically activating platelets. It is now recognized as the salient aspect of blood trauma in devices. We offer to develop state of the art multiscale numerical simulation methodology that will be able to predict and depict flow induced thrombogenicity in devices. Stresses induced by blood flow on platelets can be represented by a continuum mechanics models down to the order of the