Stress analysis and parameter estimation in a structural model of the beating left ventricle

A dynamic model for the left ventricular mechanics has been developed on the basis of histological characteristics of the wall material in terms of both the muscle fibers and the collagen matrix. The number of free parameters in the model is reduced to five by utilizing established results from various sources relating to the wall microstructure and to the activation properties of the myocardium. It is shown that the remaining free parameters can be reliably estimated from clinically measurable pressure-volume data. This model can thus serve as a useful tool for stress analysis and other studies of cardiac performance such as coronary circulation and metabolic demands.<>