Multiphysics simulations reveal haemodynamic impacts of patient-derived fibrosis-related changes in left atrial tissue mechanics

Abstract

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Atrial myopathy, including fibrosis, is associated with an increased risk of ischaemic stroke, but the mechanisms underlying this association are poorly understood. Fibrosis modifies myocardial structure, impairing electrical propagation and tissue biomechanics, and creating stagnant flow regions where clots could form. Fibrosis can be mapped non-invasively using late gadolinium enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (LGE-MRI). However, fibrosis maps are not currently incorporated into stroke risk calculations or computational electro-mechano-fluidic models. We present multiphysics simulations of left atrial (LA) myocardial motion and haemodynamics using patient-specific anatomies and fibrotic maps from LGE-MRI. We modify tissue stiffness and active tension generation in fibrotic regions and investigate how these changes affect LA flow for different fibrotic burdens. We find that fibrotic regions and, to a lesser extent, non-fibrotic regions experience reduced myocardial strain, resulting in decreased LA emptying fraction consistent with clinical observations. Both fibrotic tissue stiffening and hypocontractility independently reduce LA function, but, together, these two alterations cause more pronounced effects than either one alone. Fibrosis significantly alters flow patterns throughout the atrial chamber, and particularly, the filling and emptying jets of the left atrial appendage (LAA). The effects of fibrosis in LA flow are largely captured by the concomitant changes in LA emptying fraction except inside the LAA, where a multifactorial behaviour is observed. This work illustrates how high-fidelity, multiphysics models can be used to study thrombogenesis mechanisms in patient-specific anatomies, shedding light onto the links between atrial fibrosis and ischaemic stroke.

Key points

• Left atrial (LA) fibrosis is associated with arrhythmogenesis and increased risk of ischaemic stroke; its extent and pattern can be quantified on a patient-specific basis using late gadolinium enhancement magnetic resonance imaging.
• Current stroke risk prediction tools have limited personalization, and their accuracy could be improved by incorporating patient-specific information such as fibrotic maps and haemodynamic patterns.
• We present the first electro-mechano-fluidic multiphysics computational simulations of LA flow, including fibrosis and anatomies from medical imaging.
• Mechanical changes in fibrotic tissue impair global LA motion, decreasing LA and left atrial appendage (LAA) emptying fractions, especially in subjects with higher fibrosis burdens.
• Fibrotic-mediated LA motion impairment alters LA and LAA flow near the endocardium and the whole cavity, ultimately leading to more stagnant blood regions in the LAA.