A simple multi-scale model to evaluate left ventricular growth laws

Cardiac growth is the natural capability of the heart of\u3cbr/\u3eadapting to changes in blood flow demands. Cardiac diseases can trigger\u3cbr/\u3ethe same process leading to an abnormal type of growth. Although\u3cbr/\u3eseveral models have been published, details on this process remain still\u3cbr/\u3eunclear. This study offers an analysis on the driving force of cardiac\u3cbr/\u3egrowth along with an evaluation on the final grown state. Through a\u3cbr/\u3ezero dimensional model of the left ventricle we evaluate cardiac growth\u3cbr/\u3ein response to three valve diseases, aortic and mitral regurgitation along\u3cbr/\u3ewith aortic stenosis. We investigate how different combinations of stress\u3cbr/\u3eand strain based stimuli affect growth in terms of cavity volume and\u3cbr/\u3ewall volume. All of our simulations are able to reach a converged state\u3cbr/\u3ewithout any growth constraint. The simulated grown state corresponded\u3cbr/\u3eto the experimentally observed state for all valve disease cases, except\u3cbr/\u3efor aortic regurgitation simulated with a mix of stress and strain stimuli.\u3cbr/\u3eThus we demonstrate how a simple model of left ventricular mechanics\u3cbr/\u3ecan be used to have a first evaluation of a designed growth law