Experimental and Patient Specific
Optimized Transcatheter Aortic Valve-in-Valve Configuration
Hoda Hatoum
Drastic differences have been obtained in several in-vitro and in-vivo studies between supra-annular and sub-annular deployments in valve-in-valve. Given the importance of axial positioning in valve-in-valve from a hemodynamic perspective, this research involves introducing patient specific characteristics that are lesion distributions on the surgical valve inflow to the usual in-vitro studies in order to assess the uniformity and consistence of hemodynamic outcomes. In addition to patient specific parameters, this research involves introducing currently performed clinical techniques such as surgical valve ring breaking for a comparative understanding of potential benefits.
Leaflet Thrombosis After TAVR
Hoda Hatoum
Reduced leaflet mobility due to sub-clinical leaflet thrombosis has been identified as a relatively new observation when a surgical or a transcatheter aortic valve is implanted. Previous studies in our lab have tackled flow stasis in the sinus after valve deployment which correlates to thrombus formation. This research is on the way to further assess quantitatively and qualitatively the relationship between fluid dynamics and the relative position of the transcatheter aortic valve with respect to the aortic annulus from one side and the degenerated bioprosthetic valve from another.
Cardiac Energetics
Hoda Hatoum
Inefficiency and energy loss fall under the main constituents of aortic valve and left ventricle pathologies. This research involves exploring new approaches to enhance knowledge about the significance of aortic flow waveform on the energy loss characteristics of the aortic valve. This would help better appreciate normal hemodynamics through the lens of mechanical efficiency and potentially offer new parameters to improve accuracy of assessing the severity of a pathological ventricle-valve system as a whole.
Turbulent Flows
Hoda Hatoum
Thrombosis Formation Inside the BT Shunt in Premature Infants
Hoda Hatoum
Many newborns with cyanotic congenital heart disease require a systemic-pulmonary arterial shunt for survival. The Blalock-Taussig subclavian-pulmonary arterial anastomosis (BT shunt) is the preferred technique as it has many advantages over the other shunt types. However thrombus formation has been noted in the shunt and has been attributed to the low flow in the small structure. This research aims at finding an experimental optimizing technique that enables us to find the best range of diameters that balances flow stasis and flow delivery from one side and prevents thrombus formation from another. The work is currently being done by having a BT shunt model 3D printed for future hemodynamic and particle image velocimetry experiments.