Two Dimensional Blood Shear Modeling in a Blood Cooling Catheter

R. Sikorski[1], B. Chapman[1], T. Merrill[1]
[1]Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, USA
Published in 2012

A CFD cardiac catheter model was developed to determine the potential for blood hemolysis during administration of local therapeutic hypothermia using a CoolGuide catheter. In vivo animal studies have shown that mild hypothermia may reduce reperfusion injury often associated with heart attack. The CoolGuide Catheter System (CCS) delivers rapid local cooling through a cardiac catheter, reducing tissue temperatures 2 – 4oC within five minutes. During system operation blood is externally cooled and delivered to cardiac tissue through a catheter. The pressure drop through the catheter imposes shear stress on blood. Hemolysis can result if shear stress exceeds 150 Pa. The CFD model considers a 6Fr catheter with and without a 3.556E-4m guide wire insert during typical operation of the CCS.