Personalised Simulation of Myocardium Electromechanics
and Pulmonary Valve Replacement Surgery in
Repaired Tetralogy of Fallot: a Case Study
5. Conclusions
We have studied the potential of image processing techniques, electromechanical models and virtual soft-tissue intervention platforms to perform virtual and personalised assessment of pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) therapies. The results have been promising and suggested that such tools might be used by the clinicians to test different PVR therapies.
A modular framework has been proposed. The electromechanical model presented in the previous sections has been adjusted to simulate the cardiac function of an enrolled patient who suffers from repaired Tetralogy of Fallot. An interactive soft-tissue intervention platform has been adapted to simulate right-ventricle remodelling. The framework managed to realistically simulate the cardiac function of the selected patient. For this patient, we found that PVR with RV volume reduction would yield significative improvements just after the intervention.
Owing to the modularity of our framework, more elaborate models can now be used. In particular, future works include: improvements of the regurgitation model, to take into account the other cardiovascular compartments, modelling of the long-term effects of the PVR therapies, by considering myocardium remodelling, automated estimation of biomechanical parameters, comprehensive validation using preoperative and post-operative clinical data. Such in-silico surgery simulation opens up possibilities in therapy planning, for a more predictive and personalised medicine.