Interaction of an idealized cavopulmonary circulation with mechanical circulatory assist using an intravascular rotary blood pump.

This study evaluated the performance of an intravascular, percutaneously-inserted, axial flow blood pump in an idealized total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) model of a Fontan physiology. This blood pump, intended for placement in the inferior vena cava (IVC), is designed to augment pressure and blood flow from the IVC to the pulmonary circulation. Three different computational models were examined: (i) an idealized TCPC without a pump; (ii) an idealized TCPC with an impeller pump; and (iii) an idealized TCPC with an impeller and diffuser pump. Computational fluid dynamics analyses of these models were performed to assess the hydraulic performance of each model under varying physiologic conditions. Pressure-flow characteristics, fluid streamlines, energy augmentation calculations, and blood damage analyses were evaluated. Numerical predictions indicate that the pump with an impeller and diffuser blade set produces pressure generations of 1 to 16 mm Hg for rotational speeds of 2000 to 6000 rpm and flow rates of 1 to 4 L/min. In contrast, for the same flow range, the model with the impeller only in the IVC demonstrated pressure generations of 1 to 9 mm Hg at rotational speeds of 10,000 to 12,000 rpm. Influence of blood viscosity was found to be insignificant at low rotational speeds with minimal performance deviation at higher rotational speeds. Results from the blood damage index analyses indicate a low probability for damage with maximum damage index levels less than 1% and maximum fluid residence times below 0.6 s. The numerical predictions further indicated successful energy augmentation of the TCPC with a pump in the IVC. These results support the continued design and development of this cavopulmonary assist device.