Upcoming Event: CSEM Student Forum

Away From Keyboard (AFK): Experimental Insights on Bioprosthetic Heart Valve Leaflet Durability

Luke Guerin, Ph.D. Candidate, Trinity College Dublin

Abstract

Aortic stenosis (AS) is a disease which restricts blood flow from the heart to the rest of the body, with a severe four-year mortality rate of 44.9% if left untreated. Bioprosthetic heart valves made from porcine or bovine pericardium are implanted to treat AS but suffer from limited durability. Device failure is driven in part by calcification and structural damage of pericardium, whose relationship is poorly understood. In this work, we use in vitro experiments to probe the relationship between calcification, mechanical loading, and screenable pericardium tissue features. Our findings reveal interplay between calcification and structural damage, as well as a dramatic role of fibre architecture in tissue rupture location and frequency. In this talk we will share insights from our bench-top experiments, and highlight how stepping AFK can inform computational approaches.