Computer-Assisted Surgical Planning for Mitral Valve Repair Using 4D Echocardiograms

The mitral valve is the most commonly diseased valve of the human heart. Depending on the type, nature and severity of the disease, it may be possible to surgically repair the valve. Although tools exist that enable the assessment of the condition of the valve prior to surgery, the details of the surgery plan are typically formulated in the operating theatre. Our work aims to facilitate computer assisted pre-operative planning for mitral valve repair through the provision of a comprehensive set of tools that include visualisation, quantitative methods to assess pathological valves from 4D echocardiograms, and the ability to build a patient-specific, interactive model of the mitral valve that can be used to simulate different types of repair procedures. Initial feedback from subject matter experts indicates that the system has the potential to assist in pre-operative discussion and planning.