DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT OF HETEROTOPIC TRANSCATHETER TRICUSPID VALVES TO AMELIORATE TRICUSPID REGURGITATION

Abstract

The prevalence of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) increases with age. Yet, many elderly patients and those with co-morbidites are denied of the replacement valve surgery because they are deemed high risk for conventional open heart surgery. The advent of transcatheter technology gives them a new treatment alternative. However, so far, there has been no commercially available transcatheter tricuspid valve. This may be because of the complex tricuspid valve anatomy and the lack of an anchorage zone. Thus, the next best anchorage zone is the vena cava. Placing the valves in the superior and inferior vena cava will prevent the back flow of blood into the venous structures and minimises the detrimental effect of reverse flow. The hemodynamic characteristics of these valves were tested in a mock circulatory system (MCS) which emulated the patho-physiological pressure and flow conditions. Particle image velocimetry was used to study the flow characteristics in the MCS.