Fluid-Structure Interaction Analyses of Biological Systems Using Smoothed-Particle Hydrodynamics

Simple Summary Computational simulations of biological systems are an intrinsic element of engineering in medicine, allowing physicians the ability to visualize the pathophysiology behind a disease. Many biomedical applications require fluid-structure interaction analyses. This paper provides a review of fluid-structure interaction methods using smoothed-particle hydrodynamics to analyze the dynamics of biological processes. Due to the inherent complexity of biological applications that more often than not include fluids and structures interacting together, the development of computational fluid-structure interaction models is necessary to achieve a quantitative understanding of their structure and function in both health and disease. The functions of biological structures usually include their interactions with the surrounding fluids. Hence, we contend that the use of fluid-structure interaction models in computational studies of biological systems is practical, if not necessary. The ultimate goal is to develop computational models to predict human biological processes. These models are meant to guide us through the multitude of possible diseases affecting our organs and lead to more effective methods for disease diagnosis, risk stratification, and therapy. This review paper summarizes computational models that use smoothed-particle hydrodynamics to simulate the fluid-structure interactions in complex biological systems.