Numerical simulation of flow in model, total cavopulmonary connections

The total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) is a surgical procedure employed to treat children with single-ventricle heart defects. Since the end result of the procedure is a complete bypass of the right-heart with the single ventricle driving blood through the entire circulation, minimization of the energy losses associated with the connection may be important for long-term patient success. The current work reports results from numerical simulations complementing existing in vitro experimental data for two TCPC models. Modeling assumptions were validated with supporting numerical experiments. Agreement between numerical and experimental results was favorable