| Summary: | For patient’s receiving mechanical circulatory
support, malfunction of the left ventricular assist device
(LVADs) as well as mal-positioning of the cannula imposes
serious threats to their life. It is therefore important to
characterize the flow pattern and pressure distribution within
the ventricle in the presence of an LVAD. In this paper, we
present a 2D axisymmetric fluid structure interaction model
of the passive left ventricle (LV) incorporating an LVAD
cannula to simulate the effect of the LVAD cannula
placement on the vortex dynamics. Results showed that larger
recirculation area was formed at the cannula tip with
increasing cannula insertion depth, and this is believed to
reduce the risk of thrombus formation. Furthermore, we also
simulated suction events (collapse of the LV) by closing the
inlet. Vortex patterns were significantly altered under this
condition, and the greatest LV wall displacement was
observed at the part of the myocardium closest to the cannula
tip
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