Special Issue: Cardiovascular Device Development and Safety Assessment Using Computational Modeling and Experimental Approaches

Cardiovascular devices interact with a complex physiologic environment that can severely challenge device performance and longevity. These challenges include biocompatibility issues such as hemolysis and thrombosis, changing contact conditions during each heartbeat, high-cycle fatigue-to-fracture, the need to accommodate the highly variable geometric, material, and hemodynamic environment encountered in the target population, and many other design and performance concerns. Simultaneously, cardiovascular devices are expected to deliver improved therapeutic benefits with each new product release. Thus, the cardiovascular device industry increasingly relies on computer modeling as a controlled and repeatable methodology for assessing device design-related factors. This allows reduction in number of in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo experiments, leading to decreased expense. Clinicians are also adopting computer modeling as a pre-interventional planning tool that can confirm (or reject) a diagnosis, assist with surgical planning, and optimize treatment outcomes. And regulatory bodies are looking to computational modeling and improved in vitro testing to help ensure the safety and efficacy of approved devices.
Source: Journal of Medical Devices, Transactions of the ASME - Category: Medical Equipment Source Type: research