Revolutionizing Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement: Henry Ford and Materialise’s 3D Planning Collaboration

Under Dr. William O’Neill’s leadership, the Center for Structural Heart Disease at Henry Ford Hospital ranks among the nation’s top structural heart programs. Dr. Dee Dee Wang, Director of Structural Heart Imaging and Medical Director of 3D Printing at the Henry Ford Innovations Institute, recently presented at the Materialise World Summit, outlining the pivotal role of 3D technology in advancing structural heart procedures, especially transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR).

Hope for High‑Risk Patients

Henry Ford Hospital’s Center for Structural Heart Disease, in partnership with the Henry Ford Innovation Institute, leverages 3D and 4D imaging to improve safety and outcomes for high‑risk structural heart procedures.

By integrating this cutting‑edge technology, Dr. O’Neill’s team can execute high‑risk, minimally invasive TMVR with greater precision, offering viable options for patients previously deemed unsuitable for open‑heart surgery. Their mission centers on restoring hope while prioritizing safety.

Dr. Dee Dee Wang speaking at the Materialise World Summit in Brussels, Belgium.

The critical role of 3D planning

According to Dr. Wang, the true power of 3D technology lies in computer‑aided design. She identifies two essential functions of 3D planning in TMVR: first, accurately sizing the valve to match each patient’s anatomy; second, ensuring the valve’s depth and positioning do not impede blood flow, thereby preventing left‑ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction. “Traditional CT alone is insufficient,” she notes. “Computer‑aided design gives us the ability to evaluate depth, angulation, diameters, strength, and constraints.”

Sizing is not enough with traditional CT. What we’re missing is computer‑aided design. Because then you have technology to see depth, angulation, diameters, strength, constraints.
- Dr. Dee Dee Wang, Director of Structural Heart Imaging at the Henry Ford Hospital and Medical Director of 3D Printing at the Henry Ford Innovations Institute

Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) ranks among the world’s most high‑risk structural interventions, carrying a substantial danger of harm or death if not guided by robust 3D planning. Dr. Wang emphasizes that mitral valve disease is the leading valvular condition, soon to surpass aortic disease, yet it presents the highest procedural risk. A valve that obstructs the left‑ventricular outflow tract can trigger life‑threatening complications. Identifying LVOT obstruction risk pre‑procedure can avert such outcomes—and this precision is only achievable through advanced 3D computer‑aided design.

Moreover, 3D planning empowers the team to virtually test device sizes, catheters, and trajectories ahead of intervention, broadening safety margins and bolstering operator confidence in managing high‑risk cases.

The Mimics Enlight TMVR Planner automatically calculating the neo‑LVOT.

Mimics Enlight for TMVR

Mimics Enlight builds upon Materialise’s 20‑year legacy of the Mimics Innovation Suite (MIS), a proven platform for generating patient‑specific 3D models. Developed in partnership with the Henry Ford Health System and Dr. Dee Dee Wang, it incorporates the Institute’s patented workflow. Mimics Enlight streamlines patient selection and procedural planning for structural heart and vascular interventions, and is the first solution to offer consistent, standardized measurement methods.

A 3D‑printed model of the mitral valve.

Pioneering new methods for patient safety

In an interview with Materialise, Dr. Wang highlighted how 3D planning delivers tailored care through precise, patient‑specific models created with Mimics Innovation Suite and Mimics Enlight. This technology underpins their commitment to pioneering safer treatment strategies.

Mimics Enlight’s dedicated structural heart workflows furnish Dr. Wang with precise 3D models, enabling consistent measurements—such as neo‑LVOT—to screen patients for TMVR, devise procedural plans, and select optimal valve size and placement. “We model the valve at multiple positions before the patient even arrives,” Dr. Wang explains. “Using their CT scan, we simulate valve placement, calculate baseline LVOT area, and predict residual LVOT after implantation. This approach sets clear safety thresholds and can save lives.”

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