# Biomechanical Optimization of Cardiac Valve Repair Operations

> **NIH NIH R01** · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $689,743

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Valvular heart disease is a significant cause of global morbidity and mortality. Evolving treatment guidelines
support earlier intervention and valve repair when possible. Advances in repair techniques have progressed in
the clinical arena primarily based upon anatomic and physiologic premises and occasionally based upon visual
and echocardiographic appearance. Yet, the biomechanical engineering fundamentals and principles underlying
valvuloplasty operations are rarely investigated. A more robust understanding of such principles and
incorporation into surgical procedures may enhance valve reparability and durability and thus ultimately translate
into less thromboembolic and hemorrhagic sequelae of long term anticoagulation for mechanical valve
replacement and less perioperative risks of reintervention for bioprosthetic valve deterioration. We have
designed and produced a novel 3D-printed left heart simulator into which mitral and aortic valve specimens can
be mounted and studied throughout the cardiac cycle. Multiple regurgitant disease states can be reproduced, as
can the current clinically-employed repair operations. Innovative biomechanical sensors and imaging
technologies facilitate the detailed analysis of the engineering principles within these operations. Comparisons
of and identification of notable functional differences among contemporary operative techniques have already
been discovered and published from investigations performed using this heart valve system. We propose to
study in depth aortic and mitral valve repair operations ex vivo and then validate findings in large animal models.
We are optimistic that the proposed experiments will yield important knowledge on current and potential future
clinical therapies for valve disease and can be rapidly translated to intraoperative patient care.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10469367
- **Project number:** 5R01HL152155-03
- **Recipient organization:** STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Y Joseph Woo
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $689,743
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-05-05 → 2024-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10469367

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10469367, Biomechanical Optimization of Cardiac Valve Repair Operations (5R01HL152155-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10469367. Licensed CC0.

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