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It is a minimally invasive procedure which eliminates the need for cardiopulmonary bypass. It also has a shorter recovery time- potentially days instead of weeks.
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Summary Ajit Yoganathan and Sai Muralidhar Padala from the Schools of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech have designed a method to perform heart valve repair using a minimally invasive system. The design is broken down into four main categories: an external shape adjustment system, an annuloplasty delivery system, a suturing and anchoring system, and a temporary adjustable annuloplasty system. The external shape adjustment system applies pressure to reduce the size of the valve annulus, while the delivery system is used to position an annuloplasty implant. The delivery device is made of a unitary tube connected to a deployment head that is operated by an apparatus controller and guided using biomedical imaging technology. The deployment head is manufactured to have suture hooks which are able to detach from the deployment head and connect the annuloplasty implant to the heart. A temporary adjustment system allows for the implant to be adjusted to the shape and size that is favorable for the valve to function. This new system provides a less invasive approach to heart-valve repair and eliminates the need for cardiopulmonary bypass.