Dialysis flow rate in central venous catheters – A numerical analisys with experimental validation.

Abstract Despite a great number of studies regarding the favorable correlation between higher dialysis dose and the clinical efficiency of the hemodialysis treatment, the effect dialyses flow rate inside the catheter has been few investigated in the perspective of the hemodynamics modifications in central venous access for hemodialysis. This study proposes the numerical simulation and na in-vitro experimental validation of this model to assess the hemodynamic behavior and the thrombogenic potential in central venous access for hemodialysis, using different flow rates values in the central venous catheter (200, 250, 300, 350 and 400 mL/min). A mathematical model based in the Eulerian formulation was implemented in the solver subroutine to calculate the platelet lysis index (PLI). The pressure drop values obtained by numerical and experimental models were compered in order to validate the numerical model. The maximum percentage difference between those models was less than 13%. The flow rates values of 250, 300 and 350 mL/min resulted in larger recirculation zones in the flow field. It was possible to conclude that, in general, shear stresses and turbulence intensity increased in a quadratic manner with dialysis dose. The platelet lysis index increased with the dialysis flow rate and showed higher values in instants of time associated with major recirculation zones.