A researcher holding up the prosthetic heart valve, called VeloX, which can be implanted in patients through a small incision. ST PHOTO: SEAH KWANG PENG
A novel prosthetic heart valve has been developed, called VeloX, which can be implanted through a small incision for the treatment of a serious heart valve disorder,ie mitral regurgitation (mitral valve on the left side of the heart does not close properly). The device is beneficial for those of high surgical risk or are unsuitable for existing clinical interventions.
Mitral valve regurgitation can lead to congestive heart failure or it may worsen an existing heart failure. 12 million people suffer from mitral regurgitation worldwide, with nearly 250,000 new patients diagnosed annually. Left untreated, 1 in 3 patients with severe form of the condition will die within 6 years.
VeloX addresses the clinical gap in the treatment of the condition as it can be designed to suit different mitral annulus (a saddle-shape structure that supports the leaflets of the mitral valve) sizes of patients and implanted using a minimally invasive approach. This device could therefore be a viable option for patients who are not suitable for leaflet surgery or the standard open heart surgery treatment.
VeloX was pioneered by Associate Professor Leo Hwa Liang (front row, left) from NUS’ Department of Biomedical Engineering and Dr Jimmy Hon (front row, right) from NUS’ Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. Photo: Daryl Kang
The tiny device comprises a prosthetic heart valve made of pericardial tissue “stitched” within a self-expanding, polymer coated nickel-titanium (nitinol) alloy stent frame specially designed to prevent leakage. To implant the device, the prosthetic valve is compressed to the thickness of a pencil and loaded into a catheter. The catheter is inserted into the patient through a small incision made either at the leg or between the ribs to deliver the device straight into the left heart. The catheter will then be used to send the device to the patient’s diseased mitral valve. To facilitate accurate placement, the device is designed to be retrievable and repositionable.
Assoc Prof Leo explained, “The mitral annulus has a very complex structure, so it is particularly challenging to deploy and anchor a prosthetic valve into the constricted region. Optimal positioning is crucial as any malpositioning can be detrimental for patients. One of the unique features of VeloX is its ability to be self-centering, hence enabling it to achieve an optimal position after being implanted.”
Dr Hon added, “VeloX will restore the unidirectional flow of the blood in the left heart and help alleviate the symptoms associated with mitral regurgitation. This transcatheter valve offers palliative treatment for the patients who were denied surgery, especially those with multiple co-morbidities.”
The team plans to conduct in vivo studies to acquire data on the technical performance of the device. http://news.nus.edu.sg/press-releases/9494-novel-prosthetic-heart-valve
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