Simulation of turbulent pulsatile flow past a mechanical heart valve

The thrombogenicity of all mechanical heart valves is primarily due to an activation of platelets. As a blood platelet passes through a mechanical heart valve it is exposed to varying degrees of shear, elongational and turbulent stresses. Numerical simulation of turbulent pulsatile flow through a 2D model of a St. Jude bileaflet valve in the aortic position was obtained, to allow the quantitative examination of the cumulative effects of elevated stresses on the blood platelets. The simulation was used to indicate the potential for stress-induced platelet activation due to anomalous flow patterns produced by the valve, a problem shared by all mechanical heart valves designs in use today.