Project Title: Mitral Leaflet Modification
Project Summary: Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement (TMVR) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that is used to replace the failing mitral valve within the heart. An artificial heart valve is guided from a catheter port into the heart and is installed to replace the mitral valve. The installation of the mitral valve may cause blood flow restriction in some patients, resulting in an obstruction of the Left Ventricular Outflow Tract (LVOT). This obstruction reduces the total amount of blood exiting the patient’s heart, resulting in decreased blood flow and increased blood pressure. There are some processes in use to solve LVOT obstructions, but there are many patients who are ineligible due to the geometry of their mitral valve leaflets. The goal of the project is to design a prototype that will capture the anterior mitral leaflet for it to be cut to a shape that will allow the replacement valve to be installed without causing an LVOT obstruction. Modification of the leaflets would allow for an increase in the number of eligible candidates for TMVR.
