Abstract
Transcatheter palliation using fenestrated Modified Micro Vascular Plugs (MVP) has emerged as a promising, minimally invasive alternative to surgical pulmonary artery banding (PAB) for high-risk neonates with single-ventricle physiology. However, clinical applications are currently limited by the difficulty in predicting the resulting pulmonary-to-systemic flow ratio () and the lack of a standardized approach for selecting the optimal fenestration size. This study utilizes patient-specific computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to quantitatively evaluate the impact of varying fenestration diameters on circulatory balance. Patient-specific 3D models of the pulmonary artery (PA) were reconstructed from imaging data for two clinical cases using SimVascular. Transient CFD simulations were performed using a finite element method. Three-element Windkessel (RCR) boundary conditions were applied at the outlets and tuned to match patient-specific clinical measurements. MVP deployment was simulated by modifying PA outlet diameters and compared with baseline (no-device) models. The simulations demonstrated significant flow redistribution based on fenestration size. The results indicate that reducing fenestration diameter effectively increases systemic perfusion and mitigates pulmonary over-circulation. This predictive tool offers a valuable method for individualized pre-procedural planning in single-ventricle palliation.
Document Type
Final Report
Class Name
Mechanical Engineering and Material Sciences Independent Study
Date of Submission
4-22-2026
Recommended Citation
Zou, Zhuhuan, "Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)-Based Performance Prediction of Transcatheter Microvascular Plugs in Single-Ventricle Patients" (2026). Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Independent Study. 321.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/mems500/321