Numerical investigation of the effects of cannula geometry on hydraulic blood flow to prevent the risk of thrombosis.

Despite significant advances in left ventricular assist devices and the cannula, unfavorable events leading to the death of patients, including bleeding, infection, neurological disorders, hemolysis, and thrombosis, are still being reported. Local parameters of blood flow, including static flow, vorticity and critical values of shear stress on the wall of ventricle and cannula, increase the risk of thrombosis. Therefore, the analysis of blood flow domains inside the ventricle and cannula is necessary to investigate the probability of forming thrombosis in the cannula of left ventricular assist devices.