RESEARCH ARTICLE Experimental characterization of powered Fontan hemodynamics in an idealized total cavopulmonary connection model Anna-Elodie M. Kerlo • Yann T. Delorme • Duo Xu • Steven H. Frankel • Guruprasad A. Giridharan • Mark D. Rodefeld • Jun Chen Received: 5 February 2013 / Revised: 14 May 2013 / Accepted: 6 July 2013 Ó Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013 Abstract A viscous impeller pump (VIP) based on the Von Karman viscous pump is specifically designed to provide cavopulmonary assist in a univentricular Fontan circulation. The technology will make it possible to biventricularize the univentricular Fontan circulation. Ideally, it will reduce the number of surgeries required for Fontan conversion from three to one early in life, while simultaneously improving physiological condi- tions. Later in life, it will provide a currently unavail- able means of chronic support for adolescent and adult patients with failing Fontan circulations. Computational fluid dynamics simulations demonstrate that the VIP can satisfactorily augment cavopulmonary blood flow in an idealized total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC). When the VIP is deployed at the TCPC intersection as a static device, it stabilizes the four-way flow pattern and is not obstructive to the flow. Experimental studies are carried out to assess performance, hemodynamic char- acteristics, and flow structures of the VIP in an idealized TCPC model. Stereoscopic particle image velocimetry is applied using index-matched blood analog. Results show excellent performance of the VIP without cavitation and with reduction of the energy losses. The non-rotating VIP smoothes and accelerates flow, and decreases stresses and turbulence in the TCPC. The rotating VIP generates the desired low-pressure Fontan flow augmen- tation (0–10 mmHg) while maintaining acceptable stress thresholds. 1 Introduction In a normal human heart, the right ventricle pumps deox- ygenated systemic venous blood returning from the body to the lungs, and the left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood from the lungs to the body. In single ventricle congenital heart disease, one of the two ventricles fails to form in a way that is ever functional. It is the leading cause of death from any birth defect in the first year of life (Gillum 1994). In the most common variant, Hypoplastic Left Heart Syn- drome (HLHS), the left ventricle fails to form. Surgical repair of HLHS commits the right ventricle to pump blood to the body and then through the lungs in series. Since there is no subpulmonary ventricle, pulmonary blood flow is driven by systemic venous pressure alone. This circulatory arrangement is known as a univentricular Fontan circula- tion (Fontan and Baudet 1971). After Fontan repair, a number of significant circulatory inefficiencies exist: the single ventricle is subjected to increased workload; the single ventricle is chronically preload deprived, decreasing cardiac output; systemic venous pressure is pathologically elevated. Current surgical repair consists of a complex series of three staged operations (Fig. 1) called Staged Fontan palliation and is notorious for post-operation complications and poor survival (50–70 %) (Ohye et al. 2010; Ashburn et al. 2003). A.-E. M. Kerlo  Y. T. Delorme  D. Xu  S. H. Frankel  J. Chen (&) School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA e-mail: junchen@purdue.edu A.-E. M. Kerlo e-mail: akerlo@purdue.edu G. A. Giridharan Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA M. D. Rodefeld Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA 123 Exp Fluids (2013) 54:1581 DOI 10.1007/s00348-013-1581-8