Effect of membrane insertion for tricuspid regurgitation using immersed-boundary lattice Boltzmann method

Background: Tricuspid regurgitation is treated by valve repair or replacement. However, these methods have limitations, and alternative treatment methods are therefore required. Objectives: In this study, a new method of tricuspid valve treatment using artificial membrane insertion is analyzed. We performed tricuspid valve simulations using an artificial membrane inserted into the right ventricle (RV) or right atrium (RA). Methods: We use the lattice Boltzmann method with the immersed boundary condition to model the structural motion of the valve leaflet. The effect of membrane insertion is analyzed in terms of the stress, force, and impulse on the valve leaflet, along with the velocity, pressure, jet volume, and Reynolds stress in the flow field. Results: While the use of either membrane (RA or RV) leads to improved valve closure relative to the use of no membrane, the RV membrane is more effective than the RA membrane in achieving improved valve closure. In addition, a larger membrane area with a shorter distance between the leaflet and membrane increases membrane efficacy. Conclusion: Our results suggest that membrane insertion can form an effective new method for the treatment of tricuspid regurgitation.