Patient-Specific Aortic Leaflet Templates Through 3D Surface Flattening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for aortic valve neocuspidization face challenges due to the need for costly, fragile plastic templates and inadequate 3D modeling of aortic leaflets, leading to potential errors in measurement and surgical complexity.
Innovation Solution
A method using Geometric Morphometrics (GM) and Non-Uniform Rational Basis Splines (NURBS) for precise 3D modeling of aortic leaflet coaptation and load-bearing surfaces, enabling patient-specific templates for aortic valve neocuspidization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If plastic templates are used for aortic valve neocuspidization, then the surgical procedure can be performed, but the templates are fragile and incur economic costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates accurate digital 3D copies of the patient's aortic valve geometry from CT scans, which can be replicated indefinitely without degradation. These digital models serve as virtual templates that eliminate the need for physical plastic templates, resolving the contradiction between template availability and durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical plastic template system with a computational 3D modeling and measurement system. The digital models and automated measurement tools eliminate the physical fragility of plastic templates while maintaining or improving measurement accuracy for aortic valve neocuspidization.
2Measurement precision
If 3D data is translated into 2D planes for measurement, then measurements can be obtained, but the results may be erroneous for curved anatomy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs measurements directly in 3D space on the aortic valve models rather than projecting to 2D planes. This maintains the three-dimensional geometric relationships and curvature information, eliminating measurement errors that occur when translating curved 3D anatomy into flat 2D representations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the measurement parameter space from 2D projected measurements to 3D spatial measurements. By performing all measurements (commissural distances, leaflet dimensions, etc.) directly in three-dimensional space, the system preserves the true geometric relationships of the curved aortic valve anatomy.
3Shape
If conventional 3D modeling methods are used for aortic leaflets, then visualization is possible, but spatial resolution is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the aortic valve model into distinct anatomical components (aortic root, three sinuses, three leaflets with specific surfaces) and applies targeted processing to each segment. This segmentation allows for high-resolution modeling of critical regions like the leaflet coaptation surfaces and load-bearing surfaces, overcoming the limitations of conventional whole-organ modeling approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different levels of modeling detail and resolution to different regions of the aortic valve based on their functional importance. Critical areas such as the leaflet coaptation surfaces and load-bearing surfaces receive enhanced modeling attention with higher spatial resolution, while less critical regions use standard resolution, optimizing both visualization quality and measurement precision.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a computer-implemented method (100) for generating patient-specific templates of aortic leaflets comprising: - generating (104) a 3D model from digital images (102) of a native aortic root and aortic leaflets of a patient; - generating (106) 3D neo-leaflets models by simulating in silico aortic leaflet neocuspidization from the 3D model with parameters of developable coaptation surfaces and of non-developable load-bearing surfaces of aortic leaflets; - realizing (108) a 2D surface flattening of the coaptation surfaces of the 3D neo-leaflets models; - realizing (110) a 2D surface flattening of the load-bearing surfaces of the 3D neo-leaflets models; - merging (112) a 2D coaptation surface with a 2D load-bearing surface for each neo-leaflet model; and - generating (114) a patient-specific template for each aortic leaflet.