Medical Design and Outsourcing

  • Home
  • Medical Device Business
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Financial
    • Regulatory
  • Applications
    • Cardiovascular
    • Devices
    • Imaging
    • Implantables
    • Medical Equipment
    • Orthopedic
    • Surgical
  • Technologies
    • Contract Manufacturing
    • Components
    • Electronics
    • Extrusions
    • Materials
    • Motion Control
    • Prototyping
    • Pumps
    • Tubing
  • Med Tech Resources
    • DeviceTalks Tuesdays
    • Digital Editions
    • eBooks
    • Manufacturer Search
    • Medical Device Handbook
    • MedTech 100 Index
    • Podcasts
    • Print Subscription
    • The Big 100
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers
    • Video
  • 2022 Leadership in MedTech
    • 2022 Leadership Voting!
    • 2021 Winners
    • 2020 Winners
  • Women in Medtech

3D printing can reduce heart valve leaks: Here’s how

April 27, 2018 By Danielle Kirsh

computer generated heart valve model

Computer generated heart valve model [Image from Sergey Gurevich]

Doctors can use 3D printing and computer modeling to predict paravavular leak (PVL) in patients who are undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), according to new research from the University of Minnesota.

One of the common risks associated with TAVR is valves not fitting which can cause PVL. A recent study conducted by cardiovascular fellow Dr. Sergey Gurevich used 3D printing technology to confirm and locate where the leak occurred.

Approximately 25,000 people die every year from under-recognized heart valve disease, according to the American Heart Association. Age, a history of rheumatic fever or infective endocarditis, heart attack, heart failure or previous heart valve conditions from birth increase the risk for developing heart valve disease. More than five million Americans are diagnosed each year with the disease.

The TAVR procedure is used for intermediate, high-risk and inoperable patients who have a server narrowing of the aortic valve where a prosthetic valve was implanted. The damaged valve is replaced in the less invasive procedure, but complications like a paravalvular leak around the new valve can lead to higher mortality rates. Because of these complications, clinicians are looking for ways to find and prevent the leaks.

Six patients who were undergoing TAVR for severe, calcific aortic stenosis participated in the study. They all were at-risk for PVL and had computed tomography images taken and analyzed before the procedure. The images were segmented for the printing of 3D models. CT scans allowed the researchers to view the location of the calcium build up in a 360-degree view to evaluate the poorly fitted valves. 3D aortic root models were implants with the valve to see if it was the correct size while simultaneously seeing where the calcium composites are located.

The 3D models are scanned and evaluated fro a final analysis and compared to in vivo implanted TAVR echocardiograms. All of the leaks that are seen on the 3D models were confirmed on CT digital scans as well. The models allowed researchers to use prototypes to personalize valve placement, size and location to alleviate leaks and reduce calcium build up, according to the researchers.

“We are very encouraged to see such positive outcomes for the feasibility of 3D printing in patients with heart valve disease. These patients are at a high risk of developing a leak after TAVR, and anything we can do to identify and prevent these leaks from happening is certainly helpful,” Gurevich, who was the lead author on the study, said in a press release.

The researchers hope to create a functional study to determine the exact size of leaks in the future and they are continuing to work with computational fluid dynamics to optimize their calculations.

Related Articles Read More >

A portrait of Fictiv co-founder and CEO Dave Evans
Manufacturing matchmaker Fictiv raises $100M for supply chain push
Synopsys updates Simpleware 3D image processing software
What is microscale 3D printing? Lessons learned from Mayo Clinic
Paul Iazzo Visible Heart Laboratories 3D printing Stratasys
Stratasys donates 3D printers to University of Minnesota’s Visible Heart Lab

DeviceTalks Weekly.

May 13, 2022
Our Pre-Post-DeviceTalks Boston episode, also MedtronicTalks replay with Gastro CMO Austin Chiang
See More >

MDO Digital Edition

Digital Edition

Subscribe to Medical Design & Outsourcing. Bookmark, share and interact with the leading medical design engineering magazine today.

MEDTECH 100 INDEX

Medtech 100 logo
Market Summary > Current Price
The MedTech 100 is a financial index calculated using the BIG100 companies covered in Medical Design and Outsourcing.
DeviceTalks

DeviceTalks is a conversation among medical technology leaders. It's events, podcasts, webinars and one-on-one exchanges of ideas & insights.

DeviceTalks

New MedTech Resource

Medical Tubing

Enewsletter Subscriptions

Enewsletter Subscriptions

MassDevice

Mass Device

The Medical Device Business Journal. MassDevice is the leading medical device news business journal telling the stories of the devices that save lives.

Visit Website
MDO ad
Medical Design and Outsourcing
  • MassDevice
  • DeviceTalks
  • MedTech 100 Index
  • Medical Tubing + Extrusion
  • Drug Delivery Business News
  • Drug Discovery & Development
  • Pharmaceutical Processing World
  • R&D World
  • About Us/Contact
  • Advertise With Us
  • Subscribe to Print Magazine
  • Subscribe to E-newsletter
  • Attend our Monthly Webinars
  • Listen to our Weekly Podcasts
  • Join our DeviceTalks Tuesdays Discussion

Copyright © 2022 WTWH Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Site Map | Privacy Policy | RSS

Search Medical Design & Outsourcing

  • Home
  • Medical Device Business
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Financial
    • Regulatory
  • Applications
    • Cardiovascular
    • Devices
    • Imaging
    • Implantables
    • Medical Equipment
    • Orthopedic
    • Surgical
  • Technologies
    • Contract Manufacturing
    • Components
    • Electronics
    • Extrusions
    • Materials
    • Motion Control
    • Prototyping
    • Pumps
    • Tubing
  • Med Tech Resources
    • DeviceTalks Tuesdays
    • Digital Editions
    • eBooks
    • Manufacturer Search
    • Medical Device Handbook
    • MedTech 100 Index
    • Podcasts
    • Print Subscription
    • The Big 100
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers
    • Video
  • 2022 Leadership in MedTech
    • 2022 Leadership Voting!
    • 2021 Winners
    • 2020 Winners
  • Women in Medtech