Fluid-Structure Interaction Simulation of Mitral Valve During Left Heart Filling

Numerical simulations of mitral valve (MV) have a significant impact on MV repair and replacement strategies. In this study a fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulation using Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) method was conducted to investigate the effects of atrium and MV on the hemodynamics of diastolic flow. This approach to simulating MV function in interaction with left atrium and ventricle is considered novel. Image-based left heart geometry was used in addition to MV anatomical geometry in a fully coupled model. Results show that three consecutive vortex rings are formed during the simulation at the place of valve leaflets. A comparison of flow characteristics between a physiological and simplified atrium was also conducted to further investigate the effects of passive MV model on flow patterns.