3D Printing Applications for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

A combination of evolving 3D printing technologies, new 3D printable materials, and multi-disciplinary collaborations have made 3D printing applications for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) a promising tool to promote innovation, increase procedural success, and provide a compelling educational tool. This review synthesizes the knowledge via publications and our group's experience in this area that exemplify uses of 3D printing for TAVR.

Patient-specific 3D-printed models have been used for TAVR pre-procedural device sizing, benchtop prediction of procedural complications, planning for valve-in-valve and bicuspid aortic valve procedures, and more. Recent publications also demonstrate how 3D printing can be used to test assumptions about why certain complications occur during THV implantation. Finally, new materials and combinations of existing materials are starting to bridge the large divide between current 3D material and cardiac tissue properties. Several studies have demonstrated the utility of 3D printing in understanding challenges of TAVR. Innovative approaches to benchtop testing and multi-material printing have brought us closer to being able to predict how a THV will interact with a specific patient's aortic anatomy. This work to date is likely to open the door for advancements in other areas of structural heart disease, such as interventions involving the mitral valve, tricuspid valve, and left atrial appendage.