CHF_FluidFlowModel

Inspiration

The team's inspiration for this project stemmed from a desire to explore SolidWorks add-ins and challenge themselves to create a functional model that could be used as both an online simulation and a physical tool for patient education.

What it does

The students in Dream Team Engineering have designed a SolidWorks-based congestive heart failure (CHF) model that illustrates the effects of coronary artery disease (CAD) on blood flow. CHF is a condition in which the heart cannot pump blood efficiently to meet the body's needs. CHF can result from various factors, including ischemic heart disease, which occurs when there is reduced blood flow to the cardiac muscle. This reduced blood flow is typically caused by plaque buildup in the coronary arteries, a condition known as CAD. Chronic CHF may lead to fluid buildup in the heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys, increasing the risk of hypertension, heart valve diseases, or sudden cardiac arrest.

The goal of the project is to create a tool that helps physicians educate patients about coronary artery disease (CAD) and how it can lead to blood congestion in the heart, altering blood flow. Using SolidWorks, the team modeled a healthy heart that can be used with the Fluid Flow Simulation feature (Fig. 1). Additionally, the project includes detailed models of healthy and narrowed right coronary arteries, simulating blood flow during points of gas exchange (Fig. 2). The simulation allows medical residents to modify fluid flow parameters to explore different CHF-related conditions. These four models can be 3D printed using TPU, a flexible material, to create a handheld device that can be squeezed to replicate heartbeats, with an injection point for introducing liquid at varying velocities. A drawing was also created to help patients visualize the anatomical relationship between the heart and coronary arteries, aiding physicians in explaining CAD and CHF (Fig. 3 and 4).

How we built it

The drawings (Fig. 3 and 4.) were drawn using Procreate. Additionally, the heart model and coronary artery/capillary model were created in SolidWorks 2024. To run the simulations: Open file> Flow Simulation Analysis>Results>Load>Flow Trajectories>Play

Challenges we ran into

The team initially aimed to use CT scans from previous projects to create a 3D model of the heart, with the goal of bisecting it to clearly display all four chambers. However, the team encountered difficulties in determining the optimal angle and positioning for the bisection (Fig. 7). To overcome this challenge and ensure the model was easily understandable for patients, the team decided to develop a simplified version of the heart in SolidWorks (Fig. 1).

Accomplishments that we're proud of + What we learned

We’re incredibly proud of successfully implementing the fluid simulation on the artery model! While the initial concept and design were straightforward, learning how to navigate an entirely new feature in SolidWorks and applying it effectively—both with and without the plaque build-up—was a rewarding experience. Additionally, we take pride in our ability to communicate ideas and provide constructive feedback, which allowed us to develop multiple components for the project and essentially create a cohesive story.

What's next for CHF_FluidFlowModel

In the future, the team plans to 3D print the heart and develop a more detailed physical simulation of both normal and restricted blood flow, with the added goal of modeling the heart's beating more accurately. Additionally, the team aims to continue refining the fluid flow simulation in the heart model. The long-term objective is to create a comprehensive tutorial with example activities to teach medical students how to adjust fluid parameters, helping them fully grasp the impact of CAD on blood flow within the heart.