A Geometric Feature Tracking Approach for Noninvasive Patient-Specific Estimation of Leaflet Strain from 3D Images of Heart Valves: W. Wu et al.
PurposeValvular heart disease is prevalent and a major contributor to heart failure. Valve leaflet strain is a promising metric for evaluating the mechanics underlying the initiation and progression of valvular pathology. However, generalizable methods for noninvasively quantifying valvular strain from clinically acquired patient images remain limited. This study aims to develop a robust feature tracking...
FUSE: A Partitioned Field-Exchange Framework for Coupling Physics Simulations in FEBio
Computational biomechanics increasingly requires models that combine mechanics, transport, chemistry, and biological regulation across different spatial and temporal scales. The FEBio simulation software provides extensive open-source capabilities for modeling these processes using monolithic approaches. However, assembling independently developed physics models into reproducible coupled workflows remains challenging. Existing approaches often require custom scripts or external software...
Validation of a simplified modeling approach to predict strain in the cartilage and labrum of the hip with application to femoroacetabular impingement syndrome
Subject-specific finite element (FE) modeling enables detailed evaluation of cartilage and labral contact mechanics in the hip; however, the computational demands of this approach limit its use in large cohorts. Soft tissue overlap (STO) modeling is a simplified alternative that estimates strain from geometric overlap between articulating surfaces; however, its predictive accuracy remains unclear. The...
Simulation of Transcatheter Therapies for Atrioventricular Valve Regurgitation in an Open-Source Finite Element Simulation Framework: S. Aslan et al.
PurposeTranscatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) and annuloplasty devices are increasingly used to treat mitral valve regurgitation, yet their mechanical effects and interactions remain poorly understood. This study aimed to establish an open-source finite element modeling (FEM) framework for simulating patient-specific mitral valve repairs and to evaluate how TEER, annuloplasty, and combined strategies influence leaflet coaptation and...
Theoretical Considerations for Patient-Specific Modeling Based on Observable State Variables
In this study, we address fundamental theoretical considerations that should guide biomedical engineers in the assessment of patient-specific risk of tissue failure, or the assessment of other material properties needed for patient-specific computational modeling, based on noninvasive imaging modalities. Upon reviewing theoretical concepts of mechanics, the primary conclusion is that patient-specific material properties, such as...
Effects of bone deformation on patient-specific finite element predictions of hip chondrolabral mechanics
Patient-specific finite element models of hip cartilage and labrum (chondrolabral) mechanics have improved the understanding of form-function relationships underpinning hip osteoarthritis. While these models often assume the pelvis and femur are rigid bodies to reduce development and computational time, contact stresses may be overestimated when the pelvis and femur cannot deform. Recent advancements in element...
Intrinsic Viscoelasticity of Type II Collagen Contributes to the Viscoelastic Response of Immature Bovine Articular Cartilage Under Unconfined Compression Stress Relaxation
Cartilage damage under loading is significantly affected by viscoelasticity. This study validates a finite deformation, nonlinear viscoelastic constitutive model for the collagen matrix of immature bovine articular cartilage, using reactive viscoelasticity. To examine the flow-independent viscoelasticity of cartilage collagen, tissue samples underwent proteoglycan (PG) digestion, losing more than 98% of their initial PG content to...
Toward Lesion-specific Stenting Strategies: A Computational Framework to Validate the Deployment of Balloon-expandable Stents
PurposeClinical failure rates associated with in-stent restenosis are difficult to predict and manage, particularly at the patient-specific level. Studies have linked biomechanical factors to focal disease development and progression, suggesting that physics-based simulations using finite element (FE) approaches hold potential to mitigate stent failure rates. However, insufficient validation to assess the accuracy of model predictions...
An open-source computational framework for immersed fluid-structure interaction modeling using FEBio and MFEM
Fluid-structure interaction (FSI) simulation of biological systems presents significant computational challenges, particularly for applications involving large structural deformations and contact mechanics, such as heart valve dynamics. Traditional arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian methods encounter fundamental difficulties with such problems due to mesh distortion, motivating immersed techniques. This work presents a novel open-source immersed FSI framework that strategically couples...
Effect of Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Material Properties on Simulated Transcatheter Pulmonary Placement
Finite element (FE) simulations emulating transcatheter pulmonary valve (TPV) system deployment in patient-specific right ventricular outflow tracts (RVOT) assume material properties for the RVOT and adjacent tissues. Sensitivity of the deployment to variation in RVOT material properties is unknown. Moreover, the effect of a transannular patch stiffness and location on simulated TPV deployment has not...
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