Optimal and Sub-Optimal Flow Configurations in the Heart: Application to Implantable Medical Devices

目前，全世界每年有1700多万人死于心血管疾病，约占总死亡人数的30%。此外，预计到2030年，心血管疾病仍将是导致死亡的主要原因。为了抑制心血管疾病对人口和经济的负面影响，迫切需要推动医疗器械的创新。然而，尽管加拿大医疗器械行业每年持续增长，但其市场份额仍然很低。部分原因是缺乏足够的医疗设备专业知识和技能。这一研究计划有可能为解决这一差距做出重大贡献。这是通过产生独特的知识和数据来触发植入式医疗设备的创新，并培养具有应用于植入式医疗设备的心血管流体动力学强大基础知识和技能的高素质人才。拟议的研究计划围绕三个主要研究轴进行设计。在研究轴#1中，我们将通过实验确定与心脏腔内最佳流动性能相关的解剖和流动设计参数的范围。预计这将导致新的创新左心室辅助装置和人工器官3D生物打印的设计取得重大进展。在研究轴#2中，我们将从实验和数学上研究混合和多重瓣膜病变存在时心脏腔内复杂的流动动力学，以提高我们对植入式医疗器械真实流动环境的认识，并优化其测试和选择标准。在研究轴#3中，我们将基于患者特定数据和解剖结构开发下一代心脏模拟器：“3d打印患者克隆”。预期的影响将是植入式医疗设备接近真实测试的重大进步。这一研究项目有可能有助于改善目前的植入式医疗器械市场批准的指导方针和标准，降低开发成本，促进加拿大的创新。

Cardiovascular disease is currently responsible for more than 17 million deaths per year worldwide, corresponding to about 30% of all deaths combined. Furthermore, it is projected that cardiovascular disease is to remain the leading cause of mortality by 2030. In order to restrain the negative impacts of cardiovascular disease on the population and the economy, there is an urgent need to promote innovation in medical devices. However, despite a consistent annual growth of the Canadian medical device industries, their market share remains very low. This is part due to the lack of sufficient medical device expertise and skills. This proposed research program has the potential to significantly contribute towards resolving this gap. This is by generating unique knowledge and data that should trigger innovation in implantable medical devices and train highly qualified personnel with strong fundamental knowledge and skills in cardiovascular fluid dynamics applied to implantable medical devices. The proposed research program is designed around three main research axes. In the research axis#1, we will determine experimentally the range of anatomical and flow design parameters associated with optimal flow performance in heart cavities. This is expected to lead to significant advances in the design of new innovative left ventricle assist devices and 3D bioprinting of artificial organs. In the research axis#2, we will investigate, experimentally and mathematically, the complex flow dynamics in heart cavities in the presence of mixed and multiple valve pathologies in order to advance our knowledge on the real flow environment of implantable medical devices and optimize their testing and selection criteria. In the research axis#3, we will be developing the next-generation of cardiac simulators based on patient-specific data and anatomy: “3D-printed patient clones”. The expected impact will be a significant advancement in close-to-real testing of implantable medical devices. This research program has the potential to contribute towards improving current guidelines and standards for market approval of implantable medical devices, lowering the costs of development and promoting innovation in Canada.