In Europe, mitral valve regurgitation is a heart condition that affects 2.4 % of adults over age 40. As the heart contracts, blood flows into the systemic circulation, but for those with this condition, blood also problematically flows backward into the atrium because the valve can no longer close. As the condition progresses, heart failure and dyspnea are the consequences. The standard therapy is surgery. Here, annuloplasty rings can be used to reduce the valve’s diameter to allow the valve leaflets to close again.

PerMitrA was developed to support surgeons’ choice of the optimal ring model/ size, streamline clinical decision-making, and improve patients’ outcomes postprocedure. PerMitrA combines image-based models of a patient‘s unique heart structure with digital models from commercially available annuloplasty rings.

The key technology is a fast geometric simulation that shows how a particular ring model would change the anatomy of a patient‘s heart. This tool allows surgeons to simulate personalized strategies before surgery and to visually demonstrate them for discussion, both with the team and with the patient.

In the future, Team PerMitrA plans to expand the scope of their modeling and simulation approach to other cardiac surgical and interventional techniques and devices. The long term vision is to support complex, whole-heart interventions through the adaptation of patient-specific anatomical models.

PerMitrA is powered by a team of cardiac surgeons and AI experts with complementary core competencies and a shared understanding of how to improve cardiac interventions. The team has a broad network of international research partnerships with industry, academia and hospitals