3D printed heart helps develop lifesaving catheters

Delft University of Technology's "Bio-inspired" research team developed a life-saving catheter based on a 3D printed human heart model. The team is led by engineer Awaz Ali, who collaborated with 3D printing company Materialise to make a heart model, and now they are testing the catheter.

They provide a large number of sensors for 3D printed heart models based on real-world data, so any contact between the catheter and the model surface can be reflected. The newly developed catheter, with "improved mobility," opens the door to catheter heart surgery.

Ali, the engineer behind the project, is currently conducting an experiment to test catheters in three ways through the cardiovascular system. Using a 3D printed heart model allows Ali and her team to record the time it takes to complete each program and analyze the physical and psychological load required to perform various tasks. This information can help to develop more efficient catheters to a large extent.

“I think the 3D printing model offers a whole new way to test our instruments so they can be tested in scientifically valid models and easily handle the need for additional demand,” she said.

“The test bench has very fine anatomical structures, such as the heart valve model and the papillary muscles on the ventricular wall. Another important benefit is that we can achieve many additional requirements. For example, the area of ​​the atrial septum, and the local smooth inside of the heart. surface.

The new multi-function Sigma catheter is a complex curved shape with a serpentine movement at the tip. It can be turned into S and Z curves, as well as multi-planar curves, which is a huge change for our catheters today. This means that doctors can perform more complex procedures on the catheter rather than having a high-risk surgery.

Remi van Starkenburg, a precision technician in the Department of Electronics and Mechanical Support at Delft University of Technology, produced a prototype based on Ali's plan. But she also needs to validate her theory, which means she needs a real heart and vascular system to do the experiment.

Under normal circumstances, Ali will choose animal testing. But this creates ethical disputes and limits the topics she can learn and the time required for each process. So Ali found a transparent heart model of 3D printing made by Materialise.

Medical models are becoming more and more important. 3D printing allows surgeons to create models that fit the patient's special diagnosis and plan the surgery in detail. It is also a valuable teaching aid because the doctor does not need the patient to work with him in front of him.

Importantly, the 3D printed heart model allows teams to test their new equipment and various theoretical conditions before real-world applications. In addition, the 3D printed heart is transparent so that Ali can clearly observe her catheter from a number of different angles and make the necessary adjustments in the experiment.

Once the 3D printed heart test procedure is completed, Ali will perform a live experiment. By then, she will have a lot of data.

Obviously, the medical model of 3D printing can also be used for patients in different situations. They can help the medical community design and test new equipment, reduce reliance on animal testing, and speed up the development process. This is just another example of how 3D printing can change the way we work in the medical field.

(Compiled from 3Ders.org)

(Editor)