Mitral valve insufficiency, the second most common heart valve disease, leads to backflow from the left ventricle into the atrium during the ejection phase (systole) of the cardiac cycle. The amount of this regurgitation is crucial in deciding the appropriate therapeutic approach. Damaged mitral valves show various shapes of tears and prolapses, resulting in complex regurgitation jets. The limited reliability and accuracy of the currently used transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) 2D ultrasound Doppler measurement technique motivates a better understanding of the regurgitant jet.

The aim of this research project is to accurately capture regurgitation jets from different orifices using high-resolution optical laser measurement technology and to transfer the findings to everyday clinical practice. A cardiovascular test rig, capable of simulating the flow in the human heart, will be set up to observe and analyze multiple jets of different mitral valve geometries. By using multiple cameras, three-dimensional (3D3C) flow recordings are possible.

To transfer the findings to everyday clinical practice, there is a cooperation with the group Artificial Intelligence in Cardiovascular Medicine at Heidelberg University Hospital. High-resolution results obtained from the test rig will be compared with ultrasound measurement technology at Heidelberg University Hospital to make routine measurements on patients more interpretable in the future. The currently available clinical routines and analysis possibilities of the regurgitation flow will be expanded with additional fluid mechanical knowledge about the topology and details of this flow, ultimately enabling more targeted treatment.

The project is funded by the Postdoctoral fellowship for leading early career researchers by the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung.