  A patient-specific fluid-structure interaction (FSI) model of a
phase-contrast magnetic resonance angiography (PC-MRA) imaged arteriovenous
fistula is presented. The numerical model is developed and simulated using a
commercial multiphysics simulation package where a semi-implicit FSI coupling
scheme combines a finite volume method blood flow model and a finite element
method vessel wall model. A pulsatile mass-flow boundary condition is
prescribed at the artery inlet of the model, and a three-element Windkessel
model at the artery and vein outlets. The FSI model is freely available for
analysis and extension. This work shows the effectiveness of combining a number
of stabilisation techniques to simultaneously overcome the added-mass effect
and optimise the efficiency of the overall model. The PC-MRA data, fluid model,
and FSI model results show almost identical flow features in the fistula; this
applies in particular to a flow recirculation region in the vein that could
potentially lead to fistula failure.
