Fast Interactive Simulations of Mitral Valve Repair

While repair of the native valve tissue is recommended in nearly all cases, it is often avoided in lieu of simpler but less effective valve replacement, where native tissue is supplanted with a bioor mechanical prosthetic. This results in significant increases in patient morbidities [1]. There is a strong correlation between repair rate and surgeon experience, with more experienced surgeons showing demonstrably higher rates of valve repair [2]. In the hope of increasing the repair rate, we have developed an interactive surgical simulation system for mitral valve repair to be used for training and patientspecific preoperative planning [3]. While others in the past have developed mechanical models of mitral valve, none operated at sufficient speeds to permit user interaction [4, 5].