Fig. 3: Ex vivo mitral annular dilation system and experimental setup. | Communications Medicine

Fig. 3: Ex vivo mitral annular dilation system and experimental setup.

From: An axis-specific mitral annuloplasty ring eliminates mitral regurgitation allowing mitral annular motion in an ovine model

Fig. 3

a 3D-printed mitral annular dilator designed with a D-shape of a normal, native mitral annulus for symmetric dilation. b The custom left ventricular chamber roof featuring a thin, highly elastic mitral valve mount in a dilated mitral annular geometry and seven anchors connected to the spring tuning peg system (arrows) positioned along the posterior mitral annulus to ensure the mitral valve remains in the dilated geometry while allowing precise control over the degree of annular dilation. The yellow and white arrows annotate springs selected with different spring constants. c Illustration of porcine mitral valve dilation by placing the mitral annular dilator across the mitral valve. d Labeled photograph of the left heart simulator. e High-resolution Fiber Bragg Grating sensors implanted to measure chordal forces. CV-7 polytetrafluoroethylene sutures (green arrows) flanked each side of the strain gauge (black arrow), which were used to attach the sensor to a chord that was then transected after successful sensor attachment.

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