Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Pulsatile Flow”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,135 records · Page 63Linked to original sources

Analysis of coronary flow fields in thoracotomized dogs.

A nonlinear theory of pulsatile flow was used to investigate the detailed flow field in the left circumflex coronary artery of anesthetized open-chest dogs. Studies were carried out under a wide range of blood pressures and flow rates induced by intravenous infusions of dipyridamole. The results indicated that (1) the flow profiles, although less blunt than those in the descending aorta, are still nonparabolic, (2) the wall shear in the coronary arteries maintains a high value through diastole, and (3) during intravenous infusions of dipyridamole both coronary flow and wall shear increase. The peak value of the shear stress during these infusions, which reached 360 dynes/cm2, can approach the yield stress value of 400 dynes/cm2 reported by Fry for endothelial cells.

Animals↗

Three-dimensional, time-resolved (4D) relative pressure mapping using magnetic resonance imaging.

We describe here a method for generating relative pressure maps from magnetic resonance velocity data in three spatial and one temporal dimension (4D). The relative pressure map calculated for pulsatile flow in a compliant phantom was shown to be consistent with independent pressure transducer measurements. The feasibility of performing 4D pressure mapping in vivo is also demonstrated.

Aorta, Thoracic↗

Design and characterisation of a wall motion phantom.

Arterial wall motion is an essential feature of a healthy cardiovascular system and it is known that wall motion is affected by age and disease. In recent years, methods have been developed for measurement of wall motion with the intention of providing diagnostically useful information. An issue with all of these techniques is the accuracy and variability of both wall motion and derived quantities such as elasticity, which requires the development of suitable test tools. In this paper, a vessel wall phantom is described for use in ultrasound studies of wall motion. The vessel was made from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) subjected to a freeze-thaw process to form a cryogel (PVA-C). The elastic modulus, acoustic velocity and attenuation coefficient varied from 57 kPa, 1543 m s(-1) and 0.18 dB cm(-1) MHz(-1) for one freeze-thaw cycle to 330 kPa, 1583 m s(-1) and 0.42 dB cm(-1) MHz(-1) for 10 freeze-thaw cycles. Wall motion was effected by the use of pulsatile flow produced from a gear pump. The use of a downstream flow resistor removed gross distortions in the wall motion waveform, possibly by removal of reflected pressure waves. However, a low amplitude 20 Hz oscillation remained, which is unphysiologic and thought to be caused by the vibration of the distended PVA-C vessel.

Arteries↗

A new pulsatile total artificial heart using a single centrifugal pump.

A new pulsatile total artificial heart (TAH) system, combining a single centrifugal pump (CFP) with two three-way valves, was developed. One port of each three-way valve was connected to the inlet and outlet of a CFP, respectively. The other two ports of each valve ware connected to the right and left atrium, pulmonary artery, and aorta. The CFP can perfuse the pulmonary and systemic circulation alternately with pulsatile flow. A prototype system composed of a Sarns' CFP and solenoid valves was connected to a mock circulatory system resulting in 1) a pulsatile TAH that could be produced with a single CFP, 2) 5 L/min of pulsatile output with a normal flow wave form that can be obtained alternately on the right and left side by switching the solenoid valves, and 3) flow balance between the left and the right that could be controlled easily by the length of switching duration. This new system could be miniaturized and is feasible for a totally implantable TAH.

Blood Flow Velocity↗

A model of electrical activity and cytosolic calcium dynamics in vascular endothelial cells in response to fluid shear stress.

A mathematical model is proposed to describe the intracellular Ca2+ (Cai) transient and electrical activity of vascular endothelial cells (VEC) elicited by fluid shear stress (tau). The intracellular Ca2+ store of the model VEC is comprised of a Cai-sensitive (sc) and an inositol (1,4,5)-trisphosphate (IP3)-sensitive compartment (dc). The dc [Ca2+] is refilled by the sc whose [Ca2+] is the same as extracellular [Ca2+]. IP3 produced by the tau-deformed mechanoreceptors discharges the dc Ca2+ into the cytosol. The increase of cytosolic [Ca2+] induces Ca2+ release (CICR) from the sc. The raised Cai activates a Cai-activated K+ current (IK,Ca) and inhibits IP3 production. The cell membrane potential is determined by IK,Ca, voltage-dependent Na+ and K+ currents. Steady tau > 0.1 dyne/cm2 elicits a Cai transient which reaches peak value at 19-54 sec. The peak Cai varies sigmoidally with Log10(tau) with a maximal peak Cai of 150 nM at tau = 4 dynes/cm2. Step increases of tau fail to elicit a Ca2+ response in cells previously stimulated by a lower shear. The Ca2+ response gradually decreases with repetitive tau stimuli. Pulsatile shear elicits two to three times higher Cai and hyperpolarizes the cell more than steady shear of the same magnitude. The simulated Ca2+ responses to tau are quantitatively and qualitatively similar to those observed in cultured VEC. The model provides a possible explanation of why the vasodilating stimulus is greater for pulsatile flow than for nonpulsatile flow.

Animals↗

Reproducibility study of magnetic resonance image-based computational fluid dynamics prediction of carotid bifurcation flow.

The importance of shear stress in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis has been recognized for some time. A novel way to quantify wall shear stress under physiologically realistic conditions is to combine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computational fluid dynamics. The present study aims to investigate the reproducibility of the simulated flow by using this combined approach. The right carotid bifurcations of eight healthy subjects were scanned twice with MRI within a few weeks. Three-dimensional geometries of the vessels were reconstructed for each scan and each subject. Pulsatile flows through these models were calculated to assess errors associated with the predicted flow parameters. This was done by comparing various wall shear stress indices, including the time-averaged wall shear stress (WSS), oscillating shear index (OSI), WSS Gradients (WSSG) and WSS Angle Deviation (WSSAD). Qualitatively, all the wall shear parameters proved to be highly reproducible. Quantitatively, the reproducibility was over 90% for OSI and WSSAD, but less impressive (60%) for other parameters. Our results indicated that WSS and WSSG values were extremely sensitive to subtle variations in local geometry and mesh design, particularly in regions around the bifurcation apex where WSS values were high and least reproducible.

Adult↗

Accuracy of arterial pulse-wave velocity measurement using MR.

The performance of a one-dimensional MR technique for the estimation of pulse-wave velocity in the aorta was evaluated. An expression for the error in this estimate was formulated and verified both by simulation and by experiment. On the basis of this formulation, guidelines for increasing the efficiency of the acquisition were established. The technique was further validated by comparison with pulse-wave velocity measurements made with a pressure catheter. All data were acquired from a latex tube driven by a pulsatile flow system. MR measurements of pulse-wave velocity in the tube were found to be very reproducible in the presence of white noise. Measurements by other techniques were in good agreement, falling within 2 SD of the mean. Because of its sensitivity and spatial resolution, this technique shows promise for making spatially resolved estimates of vessel distensibility. This would allow assessment of diseases, such as atherosclerosis, that cause local changes in the material properties of the vasculature.

Aorta↗

Evaluation of flow through simulated vascular stenoses with gradient echo magnetic resonance imaging.

Magnetic resonance imaging using gradient echo sequences can quickly generate dynamic images of the cardiovascular system. We used a gradient echo sequence (repetition time = 21 milliseconds, echo time = 12 milliseconds, flip angle = 30 degrees) to evaluate how a simulated vascular stenoses affects the signal intensity of flowing fluid. Axial slices were obtained at regular intervals along a plastic tube containing a circular constriction (25%, 51%, or 73% reduction of cross-sectional area). Image data collected at each slice level were used to reconstruct 32 images evenly spaced in time over one cycle of pulsatile flow. Contrast ratios were calculated between signal intensities from tube lumen and surrounding stationary water jacket. Upstream from each stenosis, signal intensity increased during systole and decreased during diastole, paralleling the changes in velocity we measured with a flow probe. However, within the 51% and 73% stenoses and just beyond them, there were consistent decreases in systolic signal intensity. Flow through the 25% constriction had little effect on the signal intensity pattern. These results suggest that the gradient echo pulse sequence may be useful in evaluating disturbed flow associated with vascular stenoses.

Arterial Occlusive Diseases↗

In-vitro measurements of the regurgitation of mechanical mitral heart valve prostheses in case of atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: The characterization of heart valve prostheses requires regurgitation tests to be conducted in pulsatile flow. Although tests are generally conducted in accordance with hemodynamic conditions of a healthy young man, heart valve implantation is often associated with other pathology, such as atrial fibrillation. To run more realistic trials, four mechanical heart valve prostheses were tested with, and then without, atrial contraction. METHODS: The dual activation simulator (DAS) allow simulation of physiologically normal and pathological flows through the mitral valve. The DAS comprises silicon-based cavities, is activated by pumps, and was equipped successively with monoleaflet (Björk-Shiley, Medtronic Hall) and bileaflet (St. Jude Medical, CarboMedics) valves. Each valve (mitral, size 27 mm) was tested under two conditions (with and without atrial contraction) at a mean flow rate of 3 l/min of glycerol/water solution (analog blood viscosity). RESULTS: Leakage volumes were of the same magnitude as the precision of the instruments. Respectively, closing volumes increased from normal conditions to atrial fibrillation from 3.2 to 5.1 ml for Björk-Shiley, from 4.6 to 6.3 ml for Medtronic Hall, from 5 to 6.6 ml for St. Jude Medical, and from 5.2 to 5.4 ml for CarboMedics. The standard deviation was below the precision of measurements (+/- 0.5 ml). CONCLUSION: Without atrial contraction, the valves seemed to be closed by backward flow only, thus confirming earlier reports. This study showed that different heart valves behave differently in pathological situations with regard to their design; this must be considered when selecting a valve for implantation.

Atrial Fibrillation↗

Effect of tapered grafts on hemodynamics and flow rate in dialysis access grafts.

AIM: Aside from the high incidence of venous stenosis, high-output failure and peripheral steal syndromes remain serious problems of vascular access. Meanwhile commercial tapered grafts are available to address this topic, but little is known about its effect neither on graft flow nor on hemodynamics. METHODS: Anastomotic models were constructed using a clear silicon elastomer. The arterial anastomosis was shaped in two ways: 1) like a direct connection of artery and 7-mm graft and 2) with a 4-mm diameter segment between artery and graft. Hemodynamic measurements were performed in a pulsatile flow circuit to simulate blood flow at physiological conditions. Flow patterns were obtained by direct dye injection. Additionally, the correlation between the length of narrow segment and mean arterial pressure was investigated. RESULTS: In all models using a 4-mm segment, the oscillating anastomotic vortex was disappeared. This vortex was shifted to the area behind the well-rounded expansions of the graft demonstrating a new separation region, but the flow direction was constant during the whole simulated cycle. At identical pressure rates and waveforms the length of narrow segment determined the graft flow rate directly (e.g., at mean pressure 100 mmHg, flow reduction up to 28% in 4-mm segments, and up to 55% in 3-mm segments). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that taper is an important consideration in the design of vascular access grafts.

Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical↗

Cardiac mechanical energy and effects on the arterial tree.

Blood flow pulsatility is the result of the heart's activity as a pump unable to develop steady flow, and its interaction with the arterial tree. Thus, the heart is a cyclic energy generator whose adequate function requires the two phases of this cycle to be normal. Diastolic properties determine the degree of filling of the ventricles and the strength of the following systole. Systole, in turn, must generate enough energy to overcome forces opposing ejection. These can be divided into internal (the mechanical characteristics of the ventricle itself) and external loads (the characteristics of the arterial tree). As a result, hydraulic energy is imparted to blood (external ventricular work) that manifests itself as blood pressure and flow. Given the cyclic nature of cardiac activity, the external ventricular work has steady and pulsatile components. The steady component is energy lost during steady flow because of vascular resistance, and the pulsatile work is that lost in arterial pulsations and mainly depends on the aortic impedance. Thus, the characteristics of the arterial tree will determine the relative contribution of these two components to blood flow and the efficency of the heart. In addition, the arterial tree modifies the different waves (pressure and flow) traveling in the circulation. These modifications have important consequences for cardiac function. The ventricle and the arterial tree constitute a coupled biological system, and its overall performance is a function of the behavior of each unit at any given moment.

Aorta↗

Flow quantification using fast cine phase-contrast MR imaging, conventional cine phase-contrast MR imaging, and Doppler sonography: in vitro and in vivo validation.

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to assess the accuracy of measurements of flow velocity and volume flow rate in an in vitro phantom and in healthy human volunteers using a cardiac-gated, segmented K-space, fast cine phase-contrast (PC) MR imaging technique with view sharing (fast PC). We compared this method with conventional cine PC MR imaging and Doppler sonography. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Pulsatile flow was generated in a flow phantom that consisted of a cylindric tube having various degrees of tapered stenosis. Phase-encoded velocity maps were obtained using cine PC and fast PC MR imaging. Doppler sonography was also performed. Measurements of aortic and pulmonary artery peak systolic and minimum diastolic velocity and volume flow rate were then compared in eight healthy volunteers using the three imaging techniques. RESULTS: We found excellent agreement between fast PC and cine PC measurements of peak systolic velocity when regions of interest were drawn to exclude vessel margins (r > .99 for phantom studies, and r = .80 for human studies). Correlation between minimum diastolic velocity measurements by MR imaging was limited by noise that resulted from high encoding velocity settings. However, such correlation improved with signal averaging. When compared with predicted values of volume flow rates, both cine PC (r > .99) and fast PC (r = .97) MR imaging were more accurate than Doppler sonography (r = .78) in vitro. Measurements of cardiac output were adversely affected by low signal to noise, especially during diastole; estimates based on systolic forward flow resulted in better agreement between the two MR imaging methods. CONCLUSION: Fast PC MR flow quantification may prove to be a useful adjunct to routine MR studies for measurements of peak flow velocity. However, estimates of volume flow rate using fast PC MR imaging are limited because of increased noise during low diastolic flow as well as edge artifacts.

Adult↗

[Pulsatile ocular blood flow in patients with juvenile glaucoma].

PURPOSE: To compare ocular blood flow in patients with glaucoma juvenile and in normal subjects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 20 glaucoma juvenile subjects and 20 persons as a control group aged 13 and 17, were matched for intraocular pressure and pulsatile ocular blood flow using pulsatile ocular blood flow (POBF). RESULTS: A positive correlation was found between ocular blood flow in patients with glaucoma juvenile and normal subjects. CONCLUSIONS: 1) POBF is a new and simple tool for the measurement intraocular pressure and pulsatile ocular blood flow and may be useful for diagnosis of the glaucoma. 2) We found a significant difference between ocular blood flow in glaucoma juvenile patients and normal subjects.

Adolescent↗

Daytime variation of pulsatile ocular blood flow (POBF) in normal Chinese.

BACKGROUND: Pulsatile ocular blood flow (POBF) measurement is a new parameter to aid the understanding of the aetiology of low-tension glaucoma. There has been one study reporting the diurnal variation of POBF. However, that study involved eight subjects only. This study investigated the daytime variation of POBF with a greater sample size. METHODS: Twenty-four young Chinese subjects (12 males and 12 females) were recruited. The mean age of our subjects was 23.6 years and only the right eye was analysed. All the subjects were screened for glaucoma and the POBF was measured at three-hourly intervals from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm with an OBF tonometer (OBF Labs, UK, Ltd). The Goldmann intraocular pressure (IOP) and 'erect arm' systemic blood pressure (BP) were also measured. RESULTS: The IOP was found to be higher in the daytime, reaching the highest at noon (mean of 14.29 mmHg) and gradually reduced to the lowest at 9:00 pm (mean of 12.99 mmHg). The change was marginally significant (repeated measures ANOVA, P = 0.05). The POBF demonstrated a trend to increase from 9:00 am, mean of 605.5 &mgr;l/min, to 9:00 pm, 720.1 &mgr;l/min (repeated measures ANOVA, P < 0.01). Student-Newman-Keuls post hoc test indicated that the difference was mainly due to the comparisons between the 9:00 am and 9:00 pm results and the 9:00 am and 6:00 pm results. The pulse amplitude did not vary significantly. The mean blood pressure also demonstrated a significant variation (repeated measures ANOVA, P < 0.01). In the analysis of covariance, no significant effects of mean blood pressure on POBF and pulse amplitude were revealed. CONCLUSIONS: The variation in POBF was due to factors other than systemic blood pressure. Practitioners should consider POBF variation in repeated measurements, for example when monitoring the medical treatment for glaucoma. Further study on POBF variation is required over a complete circadian cycle.

Journal Article↗

Effect of prosthetic aortic valve design on the Doppler-catheter gradient correlation: an in vitro study of normal St. Jude, Medtronic-Hall, Starr-Edwards and Hancock valves.

To evaluate the normal range of Doppler-derived velocities and gradients, their relation to direct flow measurements and the importance of prosthetic valve design on the relation between Doppler and catheter-derived gradients, five sizes of normal St. Jude bileaflet, Medtronic-Hall tilting disc, Starr-Edwards caged ball and Hancock bioprosthetic aortic valves were studied with use of a pulsatile flow model. A strong linear correlation between peak velocity and peak flow, and mean velocity and mean flow, was found in all four valve types (r = 0.96 to 0.99). In small St. Jude and Hancock valves, Doppler velocities and corresponding gradients increased dramatically with increasing flow, resulting in velocities and gradients as high as 4.7 m/s and 89 mm Hg, respectively. The ratio of velocity across the valve to velocity in front of the valve (velocity ratio) was independent of flow in all St. Jude, Medtronic-Hall, Starr-Edwards and Hancock valves when the two lowest flow rates were excluded for Hancock valves. Although Doppler peak and mean gradients correlated well with catheter peak and mean gradients in all four valve types, the actual agreement between the two techniques was acceptable only in Hancock and Medtronic-Hall valves. For St. Jude and Starr-Edwards valves, Doppler gradients significantly and consistently exceeded catheter gradients with differences as great as 44 mm Hg. Thus, Doppler velocities and gradients across normal prosthetic heart valves are highly flow dependent. However, the velocity ratio is independent of flow.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aortic Valve↗

Do S100beta protein level increases due to inflammation during cardiopulmonary bypass occur without any neurological deficit?

PURPOSE: S100beta protein level correlates with the duration of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and aortic crossclamp times, but is different during pulsatile and nonpulsatile CPB. In this study, we investigated the time course of the release of S100beta protein during and after pulsatile and nonpulsatile CPB. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a prospective study. Twenty patients had open-heart surgery with pulsatile flow and 20 with nonpulsatile flow. We compared complement proteins, interleukins, white blood cells and S100beta protein before the initiation of CPB, immediately prior to aortic crossclamping, following unclamping, and at postoperative 1st and 24th hours. RESULTS: In the pulsatile CPB group following aortic unclamping, S100beta protein (p = 0.028) and C3a (p = 0.011) levels were significantly lower than those of the nonpulsatile group. In the pulsatile CPB group at postoperative first hour, C3a level (p = 0.018) and absolute neutrophil count (p = 0.034) were significantly lower than those of the nonpulsatile group. None of the patients developed a neurological deficit and all of the patients survived after the operation and were discharged from the hospital. CONCLUSION: During CPB, serum S100beta protein level increases and this increase is higher in the nonpulsatile group. High serum level of S100beta protein is associated with increased levels of serum inflammatory mediators and systemic inflammatory response.

Adult↗

Dynamic particle image velocimetry flow analysis of the flow field immediately downstream of bileaflet mechanical mitral prostheses.

New dynamic particle image velocimetry (PIV) technology was applied to the study of the flow field associated with prosthetic heart valves. Four bileaflet prostheses, the St. Jude Medical (SJM) valve, the On-X valve with straight leaflets, the Jyros (JR) valve, and the Edwards MIRA (MIRA) valve with curved leaflets, were tested in the mitral position under pulsatile flow conditions to find the effect of the leaflet shape and overall valve design on the flow field, particularly in terms of the turbulent stress distribution, which may influence hemolysis, platelet activation, and thrombus formation. Comparison of the time-resolved flow fields associated with the opening, accelerating, peak, and closing phases of the diastolic flow revealed the effects of the leaflet shape and overall valve design on the flow field. Anatomically and antianatomically oriented bileaflet valves were also compared in the mitral position to study the effects of the orientation on the downstream flow field. The experimental program used a dynamic PIV system utilizing a high-speed, high-resolution video camera to map the true time-resolved velocity field inside the simulated ventricle. Based on the experimental data, the following general conclusions can be made. High-resolution dynamic PIV can capture true chronological changes in the velocity and turbulence fields. In the vertical measuring plane that passes the centers of both the aortic and mitral valves (A-A section), bileaflet valves show clear and simple circulatory flow patterns when the valve is installed in the antianatomical orientation. The SJM, the On-X, and the MIRA valves maintain a relatively high velocity through the central orifice. The curved leaflets of the JR valve generate higher velocities with a divergent flow during the accelerating and peak flow phases when the valve is installed in the anatomical orientation. In the velocity field directly below the mitral valve and normal to the previous measuring plane (B-B section), where characteristic differences in valve design on the three-dimensional flow should be visible, the symmetrical divergent nature of the flow generated by the two inclined half-disks installed in the antianatomical orientation was evident. The SJM valve, with a central downward flow near the valve, is contrasted with the JR valve, which has a peripherally strong downward circulation with higher turbulent stresses. The On-X valve has a strong central downward flow attributable to its large opening angle and flared inlet shape. The MIRA valve also has a relatively strong downward central flow. The MIRA valve, however, diverts the flow three-dimensionally due to its peripherally curved leaflets.

Heart Valve Prosthesis↗

Transoral decompression evaluated by cine-mode magnetic resonance imaging: a case of basilar impression accompanied by Chiari malformation.

Cine-mode magnetic resonance imaging provides simultaneous images of cerebrospinal fluid flow dynamics. A patient with a basilar impression accompanied by a Chiari malformation and von Recklinghausen's disease who underwent transoral decompression is reported. Preoperative cine-mode magnetic resonance imaging visualized an associated obstruction of cerebrospinal fluid pulsatile flow at the level of the foramen magnum. Tonsilar herniation (Chiari I malformation) and hydrocephalus were also present. Postoperatively, the obstruction of cerebrospinal fluid flow was resolved concomitant with the correction of the cervicomedullary angulation. On the basis of observations made by magnetic resonance imaging, the surgical treatment of basilar impression accompanied by Chiari malformation is briefly discussed.

Adult↗