Heart Valve Sizing Ring for Aortic Root Remodeling
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Solution Overview
Problem
In valve-sparing aortic root remodeling procedures, selecting the correct graft size is challenging, leading to prolonged and suboptimal surgical operations and potential complications due to the inability to properly reshape the heart valve.
Innovation Solution
A heart valve sizing ring system comprising an outer ring and an interlocking inner ring with a tubular portion, which includes suture holders to simulate and test the proper sizing of the heart valve before installing a permanent graft, allowing for evaluation of valve geometry and function.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the correct graft size is not selected during the repair, then the surgeon may not be able to properly reshape the valve, but this leads to prolonged and suboptimal surgical operations which could lead to complications and poor outcomes
Solution Approach 1:
The sizing ring is used to pre-test and determine the correct graft size before the actual graft implantation. By performing this sizing measurement in advance during the surgical procedure, the surgeon can avoid trial-and-error graft selection, thereby preventing prolonged operations and suboptimal outcomes while ensuring accurate graft size selection from the start.
2Measurement precision
If a sizing device is introduced to test valve repair, then proper valve sizing can be evaluated, but the device complexity increases with multiple rings and components
Solution Approach 1:
The sizing device is divided into two separate rings: an outer ring and an inner ring. The outer ring provides the sizing measurement scale, while the inner ring can be rotated to different positions corresponding to different graft sizes. This segmentation allows each ring to have a specific function, simplifying the overall design while maintaining measurement accuracy and enabling easy adjustment between different sizing options.
Data Source
AI summary
A heart valve sizing ring is disclosed. The sizing ring includes an outer ring and an inner ring configured and arranged to couple to the outer ring. A tubular portion extends from the inner ring and has a plurality of suture holders arranged about an upper end thereof. The outer ring and inner ring having a pair of complementary mating surfaces configured and arranged to grip sutures therebetween when coupled together. When coupled around sutures, the assembled ring may be tightened down against the heart valve to test the fit as if the sizing ring were a similarly sized prosthetic heart valve ring. Commissures of the heart valve may be suspended from the suture holders of the tubular portion. The surgeon can then remove the sizing ring and replace it with a prosthetic ring.