Biomechanics of mitral valve treatments

Improper closure of the mitral valve causes leakage, a disorder known as mitral valve regurgitation (MR), which is one of the two most common valvular heart diseases. We model the function of pathologic mitral valves in a beating heart and their treatment by surgical procedures and medical devices. The aim is to optimize the biomechanics of the treatments by making their function more similar to that of a healthy valve while considering the complex mechanism of this valve. The next step in our models of mitral valve treatments will focus on transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) for otherwise untreatable patients. We will model the implantation of a transapical device that is tethered to the left ventricular apex, like the CE-marked Abbott Tendyne device. We will examine how tether length affects paravalvular leakage and relate device size to the risk of possible left ventricular outflow tract obstruction.