Computational Prediction of Red Blood Cell Damage: Mathematical Modeling and Uncertainty Quantification

Abstract: Computational simulations have become an important tool for the design of mechanical circulatory support devices as well as surgical planning ahead of implantation. While computational fluid dynamics can accurately predict flow fields, the prediction of hemolysis (red blood cell damage) remains challenging. Absolute predictions of hemolysis indices often deviate by multiple orders of magnitude from experimental measurements. This discrepancy can be attributed to two issues. First, most existing models for hemolysis employ a simple power law relationship between shear stress, exposure time, and hemolysis index, with model parameters fitted to experimental data. Second, experimental data often exhibits large variability between donors and between studies, leading to significant uncertainty in the fitted model parameters. This is due to individual differences in red blood cell properties and high sensitivity to experimental conditions. Consequently, the predictive capabilities of these models are limited, especially when applied to flow conditions that differ from those used in experiments.

We propose a two-sided approach to enhance the predictive capabilities of hemolysis models. First, we introduce a more physiological model that incorporates two important effects of the red blood cell membrane: viscoelastic deformation and pore formation. We highlight the differences between the Lagrangian and Eulerian model formulations. The Eulerian formulation enables a stabilized finite element discretization, which we apply to various benchmark cases. Second, we show how uncertainty quantification techniques can be employed to account for the variability in experimental data when fitting model parameters. This facilitates the integration of new experimental data as it becomes available, thereby enabling patient-specific predictions of hemolysis. Overall, this two-sided approach allows for more accurate and uncertainty-aware predictions of hemolysis to support the development process of future generations of biomedical devices.

MathematicsPhysics

Audience: researchers in the topic

Nečas Seminar on Continuum Mechanics

Series comments: This seminar was founded on December 14, 1966.

Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Sokolovská 83, Prague 8. If not written otherwise, we will meet on Mondays at 15:40 in lecture hall K3 (2nd floor)