Georgia Institute of Technology 3D printed heart valve model to improve the success rate of valve replacement
Release date: 2017-07-07 Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Piedmont Heart Institute are using a custom 3D printed heart valve model based on patient cardiac CT scans to improve the success rate of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) surgery. Their purpose is to avoid paravalvular problems. This research has been published in JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging. Peripheral leakage is a relatively rare complication of TAVR. In TAVR surgery, if the replacement valve is not appropriate, this symptom will appear, which is caused by blood leakage between the heart tissue and the implanted valve, which eventually leads to the patient's earlier death. “Our idea is that since we can use tissue simulation 3D printing to create a custom model for the patient, we can test how the prosthetic valve fits into the 3D printed model and see if it can predict blood leaks,†Research The staff explained. “In the preparation phase of valve replacement surgery, cardiologists have evaluated and predicted various clinical risks, but our 3D printed model provides a quantitative method to assess the fit of prosthetic valves to patients.†Researchers used a multi-material 3D printer to print heart valves so they could control the "diameter and bending wavelength" of the printed material, allowing the model to better mimic the physiological properties of the tissue. The model can even represent special conditions such as calcium deposition, a common underlying factor in aortic stenosis. The researchers said that the performance of these 3D printed valves is similar to that of real valves. The results of the study show that these models can accurately show which patients may have blood leaks and even show the location and severity of such complications. “The results of this study are very encouraging. Even though valve replacement surgery is quite mature, in some cases, a different size valve or a different manufacturer can improve the outcome, and 3D printing will determine which one is the most Suitable," the researchers said. 3D printed heart valve interior They plan to continue the project, evaluate the use of 3D printed valves as a preoperative planning tool, test more models, and find new ways to analyze test results. “Ultimately, once a patient has a CT scan, we can create a model on which to try different types of valves and tell the doctor which one is probably the most effective,†the researchers said. “We can even predict that a patient may appear. Moderate valve leakage, but a balloon expansion can solve this problem." (Compiled from 3ders.org) Source: Tiangongshe SMART Digital Bluetooth Hearing Aids SMART Digital Bluetooth Hearing Aids Shenzhen Sunshine Technology Co.,Ltd , https://www.szyatwin.com