Computer-Aided Design of Medical Devices
Wednesday, April 11, 2:00-3:30, Ski-U-Mah, McNamara Alumni Center

Organizer: Victor Barocas, PhD, Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota

"Imaging methods and image analysis for validation of computer models of brain biomechanics" 
Philip Bayly, Washington University

"Thermal and fluid flow simulations in health care: Product development and safety improvement" 
John Abraham, University of St. Thomas

"Computational modeling of vagus nerve stimulation"
Matt Johnson, Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota

Session Abstract:

As more and more advanced medical devices are designed and developed, the need for computer-aided design tools has increased steadily. This session focuses on the various applications of computer tools to the design and use of medical devices, emphasizing the range of physics - thermal, electrical, mechanical, chemical - involved.

Session Organizer Bio:

Victor Barocas, PhD, Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota
Professor Barocas has been in the UMN Department of Biomedical Engineering since 2000 and is interested in tissue mechanics and computer simulation of biological and physiological processes and devices.

Speaker Bios:

Philip Bayly, Washington University
Dr. Bayly is Professor and Chair of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at Washington University in Saint Louis. His interests include imaging of dynamic biomechanical phenomena.

John Abraham, University of St. Thomas
Dr. Abraham has worked on medical simulations for more than a decade.

Matt Johnson, Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota
Matthew Johnson is an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. His research group studies the mechanisms of neuromodulation therapies through computational modeling and electrophysiological approaches.

Presentation Abstracts:

"Imaging methods and image analysis for validation of computer models of brain biomechanics" 
Modeling and simulation hold great promise for understanding brain biomechanics and for developing associated medical devices and therapeutic strategies. However, such mathematical models have predictive value only if they satisfy two conditions: first, they must capture the mechanics of brain tissue and its interactions with the skull; second, they must be validated by direct comparison with experimental data. This presentation will discuss magnetic resonance imaging methods and data from recent imaging studies of brain biomechanics.

"Thermal and fluid flow simulations in health care: Product development and safety improvement"
Numerical simulations are increasingly used to speed the development or to improve the safety of medical devices or procedures. Case studies of two common types of simulations are presented that deal with heat transfer within the body (cryosurgery) and fluid flow (hemodialysis). The case studies are representative of the potential for simulations in other areas of health care.

"Computational modeling of vagus nerve stimulation"
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a promising therapy for controlling epileptic seizures, managing treatment-resistant depression, and potentially treating cardiac disorders. However, when one considers the possibility that at least some patients with VNS systems will also have cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator implants, there need to be assurances that the electric fields generated by VNS will not interfere with the sensing elements of a patient’s cardiac device. Here, we report on the development of a finite element model of VNS tailored to a patient’s anatomy with inhomogeneous conductivities. The results indicate that bipolar VNS configurations will likely be safe, but one should avoid using monopolar stimulation settings in the context of a dual stimulator scenario.