January 1, 2023The Anatolian Journal of CardiologyOpen Access

Mitral Paravalvular Leak 3D Printing from 3D-Transesophageal Echocardiography

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Why the study?

Percutaneous closure of mitral paravalvular leaks is not always successful, prompting efforts to use 3D-printed defect models from 3D-transesophageal echocardiography as pre-procedural support to improve outcomes.

Structured PICO

Population

8 patients with clinically significant mitral paravalvular leaks

Intervention

3D-printed models of mitral paravalvular leaks derived from 3D-transesophageal echocardiography

Outcome

Duration of model preparation and printing, and total cost

3D-printing of mitral paravalvular leaks from 3D-TEE is technically feasible and preserves defect shape and location, potentially aiding pre-procedural planning for percutaneous closure.

Implication

May aid pre-procedural planning; hypothesis-generating for routine adoption in paravalvular leak closure.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Paravalvular leaks can be detected in almost 15% of patients after mitral valve prosthesis implantation. This complication can result in congestive heart failure and hemolysis. Despite advancements in non-invasive imaging, percutaneous closure of paravalvular leaks is not always successful. Therefore, efforts are made to improve treatment outcomes by using 3D-printed models of defects as pre-procedural support for interventional cardiologists. METHODS: Retrospectively, 3D-transesophageal echocardiography recordings of 8 patients with clinically significant mitral paravalvular leaks were analyzed. Qlab Software was used to export DICOM images of each paravalvular leak channel, including surrounding tissue. Image segmentation was performed in 3D Slicer, a free, open-source software package used for imaging research. Models were printed to actual size with the poly jet Stratasys Objet 30 printer with a transparent, rigid material. RESULTS: Duration of model preparation and printing, as well as the total cost, was calculated. Mean total time of model preparation was 430.5 ± 196 minutes. CONCLUSION: 3D-printing from 3D-transesophageal echocardiography is technically feasible. Both shape and location of paravalvular leaks are preserved during model preparation and printing. It remains to be tested if 3D-printing would improve outcomes of percutaneous paravalvular leaks closure.