# SCH: INT: A Virtual Surgery Simulator to Accelerate Medical Training in Cardiovascular Disease

> **NIH NIH R01** · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $263,244

## Abstract

We propose to devise and deploy an integrated virtual surgery simulator to transform training and surgical
planning in cardiovascular medicine. By advancing science in graphics, visualization and real-time
simulations, and interfacing with virtual reality (VR) technology, we will offer clinical trainees
unprecedented depth of insight into cardiac physiology and pathology, accelerating knowledge acquisition
 and intuition-building that takes years with standard approaches. Equipped with immersive patient-specific
 visualizations, physicians will 'preview' the effects of surgical techniques on blood flow and physiology,
quickly testing many "what-if" scenarios over a large design space. While surgeons currently teach
trainees time-honored techniques in a steep and high-stakes learning curve, novel and intuitive VR
environments will enable rapid, lower-stakes exploration. Despite advances in cardiovascular
patient-specific modeling and simulation, current virtual surgery capabilities are limited to cumbersome
by-hand model manipulations and blood flow simulations run on high-performance computing clusters for
days at a time. These complexities preclude hands-on use by clinicians and often limit models to a small
cohort of anatomic designs. There is, therefore, a pressing need for scientific and technological advances
to enable seamless manipulation of anatomic geometry and simulations that can provide real-time
feedback. To drive this technology, we aim to overcome critical methodological barriers through the
following aims: 1) Develop computer-graphics tools for efficient model manipulation, 2) Integrate
reduced-order modeling with visualization to create a real-time interactive experience, and 3) Develop and
deploy an interactive VR educational environment for medical students and clinical trainees, complete
with case studies and interactive experiences. To quantify impact, we will design and carry out
educational assessments measuring the ability of our technology to accelerate learning among medical
trainees. To ensure success, we have assembled an expert interdisciplinary team spanning
cardiovascular biomechanics, computer graphics, technology in education, and clinical cardiology.
Ultimately, the proposed tools will also drive clinical innovation. Since many cardiovascular surgical
approaches have changed little in decades, a longer-term goal is to launch clinical studies demonstrating
 impact on patient outcomes, allowing surgical planning and customization for individual patients.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10487534
- **Project number:** 5R01EB029362-04
- **Recipient organization:** STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Alison L Marsden
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $263,244
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-30 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10487534

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10487534, SCH: INT: A Virtual Surgery Simulator to Accelerate Medical Training in Cardiovascular Disease (5R01EB029362-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10487534. Licensed CC0.

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