Finite element analysis of bicuspid aortic valve and corrective annuloplasty

The present Master’s thesis deals with the finite element analysis of the aortic root and, in particular, of the bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). This congenital malformation of the aortic valve has a prevalence on the world population ranging from 0.9 to 2%, and consists in the fusion of two of the three aortic leaflets. This defect causes in most of the cases the onset of pathological conditions, that are still an issue in clinical cardiology. Therefore, this thesis aims at shedding light on the mechanical behaviour of the bicuspid aortic valve, with respect to the normal tricuspid aortic valve, in order to assess possible biomechanical alterations triggering the development of diseases associated with this congenital condition. A reparative technique applied to a prolapsed BAV is also analysed to define the optimal parameters related to the procedure effectiveness. Moreover, the present work tackles many technical issues concerning the structural simulation of biological soft tissues, employing solid finite elements in a dynamic explicit solver, as LS-Dyna (LSTC, Livermore, CA, USA).