Long-term hemodynamic effects of artery banding on patient-specific pulmonary flow

Pulmonary artery banding (PAB) is a commonly used palliative procedure to restrict excess pulmonary blood in certain congenital heart diseases. However, many associated long-term hemodynamic problems still remain unsolved over the years. In this study, we utilized the method of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to investigate the hemodynamic effects of PAB on patient-specific pulmonary flow before, 1 year and 2 years after banding. The distribution of total pressure, wall shear stress, streamlines and energy efficiency were calculated. The results indicated a sharp pressure drop at the banding site. Energy efficiency loss decreased greatly as the loosening of PAB, and strong whirling flow was observed in the dilated MPA after banding. The method of CFD can be used to disclose the hemodynamics of PAB.