IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,343,086
Granted Patent B2
US 12,343,086 · App. 17/491,175 · Granted Jul 1, 2025

System and method for implanting left ventricular assist devices

Inventors: Mikayle Ashlyn Holm (Minneapolis, MN); David Alfonso Ramirez (St Paul, MN); Paul Anthony Iaizzo (White Bear Lake, MN); Andrew W. Shaffer (Minneapolis, MN); Anthony Robert Prisco (Lakeville, MN)
Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
A61B34/10A61M60/178A61M60/861G06T17/00G16H20/40G16H30/20G16H30/40G16H50/50A61B2034/105A61B2034/107G06T2210/41
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,343,086
App. No.
17/491,175
Granted
Jul 1, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method for implanting heart assist devices. A model of a heart of a patient is formed based on images taken of the cardiothoracic cavity of the patient. A point is selected for insertion of the heart assist device based on the model. A graft location is selected on the aorta and a graft length for the graft is determined as a function of the implant location and the selected graft location.

Claims (66)

1. A method of planning implantation of a heart assist device, the method comprising:

accessing, by processing circuitry, images of the cardiothoracic cavity of a patient;

forming, by the processing circuitry and based on the images, a model of the heart of the patient, the model including a model of a mitral valve annulus;

determining, by the processing circuitry, a normal vector to the mitral valve annulus;

identifying, by the processing circuitry, an apical region;

determining, by the processing circuitry, a plurality of myocardium vectors normal to respective locations on a myocardium of the heart;

determining, by the processing circuitry, a plurality dot products of respective myocardium vectors of the plurality of myocardium vectors to the normal vector to the mitral valve annulus;

selecting, by the processing circuitry and based on the plurality of dot products, an insertion point for implanting the heart assist device within the apical region;

controlling, by the processing circuitry, a display to present the insertion point on the model of the heart; and

controlling a robot during robotic surgery to implant the heart assist device according to the insertion point.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the insertion point is selected to point at the mitral valve annulus.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the insertion point comprises selecting the insertion point according to a minimum dot product of the plurality of dot products.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the model includes a left ventricle, the apical region being on the left ventricle.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the model includes a model of blood volume within the left ventricle.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the model includes a three-dimensional (3D) volume rendering of the left ventricle.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the model includes a model of an aorta and wherein the method further includes:

selecting a graft location on the aorta; and

calculating the graft length as a function of the selected insertion point and the selected graft location.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein selecting the graft location on the aorta includes selecting a location for the graft that matches the direction of blood flow from the graft to the direction of blood flow through the aorta.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein selecting a graft location on the aorta includes selecting a location and a bevel for the graft that matches the direction of blood flow from the graft to the direction of blood flow through the aorta.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein calculating the graft length as a function of the insertion point and the selected graft location includes:

projecting an image of the heart onto a two-dimensional plane based on the model; and

tracing an outline of the projected heart image.

11. A method of determining the length of a graft used for implanting a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) in a patient, the method comprising:

accessing, by processing circuitry, images of the cardiothoracic cavity of the patient;

forming, by the processing circuitry, a model of the heart of the patient;

determining, by the processing circuitry and based on the model of the heart, a normal vector to a mitral valve annulus of the heart;

determining, by the processing circuitry, a plurality dot products of a plurality of vectors normal to a myocardium of the heart to the normal vector to the mitral valve annulus;

determining, by the processing circuitry and based on the plurality of dot products, an implant location;

selecting, by the processing circuitry, a graft location on an aorta;

calculating, by the processing circuitry, the graft length as a function of the implant location and the selected graft location;

controlling, by the processing circuitry, a display to present the implant location on the model of the heart and to present the graft length; and

controlling a robot during robotic surgery to implant the heart assist device according to the insertion point.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein calculating the graft length as a function of the implant location and the selected graft location includes:

projecting an image of the heart onto a two-dimensional plane based on the model; and

tracing an outline of the projected heart image.

13. A system, comprising:

memory; and

one or more processors connected to the memory,

wherein the memory includes instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to:

access images of the cardiothoracic cavity of a patient;

form, based on the images, a model of the heart of the patient, the model including a model of a mitral valve annulus;

determine a normal vector to the mitral valve annulus;

identify an apical region;

determine a plurality of myocardium vectors normal to respective locations on a myocardium of the heart;

determine a plurality dot products of respective myocardium vectors of the plurality of myocardium vectors to the normal vector to the mitral valve annulus;

select, based on the plurality of dot products, an insertion point for a heart assist device based on the model;

control a display to present the insertion point on the model of the heart, and

control a robot during robotic surgery to implant the heart assist device according to the insertion point.

14. A system, comprising:

memory; and

one or more processors connected to the memory,

wherein the memory includes instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to:

access images of the cardiothoracic cavity of a patient;

form, based on the images, a model of the heart of the patient;

determine, based on the model of the heart, a normal vector to a mitral valve annulus of the heart;

determine a plurality of myocardium vectors normal to respective locations on a myocardium of the heart;

determine a plurality dot products of respective myocardium vectors of the plurality of myocardium vectors to the normal vector to the mitral valve annulus;

select, based on the plurality of dot products, an insertion point for a heart assist device based on the model of the heart;

select a graft location on a aorta;

calculate a graft length as a function of the insertion point and the selected graft location;

control a display to present the insertion point on the model of the heart and to present the graft length; and

control a robot during robotic surgery to implant the heart assist device according to the insertion point.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to calculate the graft length as a function of the insertion point and the selected graft location includes instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to:

project an image of the heart onto a two-dimensional plane based on the model; and

trace an outline of the projected heart image.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 1, 2021
From: HOLM, MIKAYLE ASHLYN; RAMIREZ, DAVID ALFONSO; IAIZZO, PAUL ANTHONY; SHAFFER, ANDREW W.; PRISCO, ANTHONY ROBERT
To: REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
Reel/Frame 058258/0720 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63198196 · Oct 2, 2020
Related Publication 20220104879A1 · Apr 7, 2022
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