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Will 3D Printed Heart Valves Improve Patient Outcomes?

By Adam Pick on August 2, 2017

I can not keep up with all the new advances in heart valve therapy. In the last 24 hours, I learned about FDA approvals for the Avalus heart valve by Medtronic and the Inspiris Resilia by Edwards Lifesciences. I also came across a fascinating story about 3D printing and heart valve replacements.

According to a new study published in JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging, researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology and Piedmont Heart Institute, may have found new ways to enhance transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) performance using 3D printing technologies.

Dr. Zhen Qian, Chief of Cardiovascular Imaging Research at Piedmont Heart Institute, believes this research may have the ability to transform care for patients that undergo TAVR.

"Eventually, once a patient has a CT scan, we could create a model, try different kinds of valves in there, and tell the physician which one might work best," Zhen stated. "We could even predict that a patient would probably have moderate paravalvular leakage, but a balloon dilatation will solve it."

Pretty amazing, right?

What will be next?

I don't know. But, I'm excited to find out.

Keep on tickin!
Adam

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Written by Adam Pick - Patient & Website Founder

Adam Pick is a heart valve patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. In 2006, Adam founded HeartValveSurgery.com to educate and empower patients. This award-winning website has helped over 10 million people fight heart valve disease. Adam has been featured by the American Heart Association and Medical News Today.

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