Native Leaflet Position Detection for Coronary Re-Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods fail to accurately determine access to coronary arteries after prosthetic valve implantation due to displacement of native leaflets, leading to potential blockage and unsuccessful re-access procedures.

Innovation Solution

Analyze pre- and post-procedure images to estimate the position of native leaflets and mineral deposits, using image processing techniques to determine the amount of access to coronary arteries based on the position of mineral formations relative to native leaflets and prosthetic valves.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If prosthetic valve is implanted at native valve, then aortic valve stenosis is treated, but native leaflet displacement blocks access to coronary arteries

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaortic valve stenosis treatmentVSAvoidcoronary artery access

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary analysis of pre-procedure images to identify mineral deposit positions on native leaflets before implantation. This advance characterization allows prediction of post-implantation leaflet displacement and pre-planning of access strategies to avoid blocked coronary arteries.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses mineral deposits as intermediary markers to indirectly track native leaflet positions. Since mineral deposits remain visible and identifiable through the prosthetic valve, they serve as mediators to determine the displaced position of native leaflets without requiring direct visualization of the leaflets themselves.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If mineral deposit position is used to determine native leaflet position, then access determination accuracy is improved, but image analysis complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess determination accuracyVSAvoidimage analysis complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a computational model that copies the spatial relationship between mineral deposits and native leaflets from pre-procedure images. By analyzing the relative positions in the pre-procedure image and applying this relationship to the post-procedure image, the system determines native leaflet positions without requiring complex direct visualization algorithms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

Mineral deposits serve as intermediary reference points that simplify the image analysis process. Instead of attempting to directly visualize and measure native leaflet positions which are obscured by the prosthetic valve, the system uses the easily identifiable mineral deposits as mediators to infer leaflet positions through geometric relationships.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12402851B2Systems and methods for anatomical feature determination

Publication Date: 2025.09.02 EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORP

AI summary

Techniques for determining a position of a native leaflet can include identifying a position of a mineral formation on the native leaflet before implantation of a prosthetic valve and analyzing an image representing the prosthetic valve implanted within the cardiac vessel. The analysis can identify a position of the mineral formation within the cardiac vessel after the prosthetic valve is implanted. Based on the position of the mineral formation on the native leaflet before implantation of the prosthetic valve and the position of the mineral formation within the cardiac vessel, a position of the native leaflet within the cardiac vessel can be determined.