Custom Heart Patient Education Model
Helping cardiologists educate their patients
The Challenge:
The use of medical models is not new to Medtronic. In fact they had already produced a model Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and came back to Pulse MDM for updates and improvements. Their criteria:
- Create a demonstration model for patient education via their surgeon or valve clinic coordinator to explain valve replacement options.
- Create a cross section of the heart displaying all four chambers to the display different prosthetic valves options in either the mitral or aortic positions or both.
- Show patients how the minimally invasive (TAVR) valve is sometimes placed inside a SAVR (surgical aortic valve replacement) valve that may have been placed in the heart (sometimes many years) earlier.
- Enable each of these valves to sit inside the model heart on their own.
- Depict a healthy heart after valve surgery with a valve in place.
- Show patients how an implanted valve would look in situ and demonstrate what a potential valve-in-valve procedure might look like (for younger patients, a surgical valve is implanted first and then a transcatheter can be placed in that valve later when the original valve deteriorates)
Model Design:
In order to highlight the surgical (open heart) and transcatheter options (minimally invasive) in the model, it needed to accommodate several prosthetic valve solutions. A design was created to accommodate a transcatheter mitral valve after its’ development was completed and ready for launch. To provide convenient storage of the current and future valve products, Pulse MDM designed a drawer in the base to hold the replicas of the valves so the surgeon would have all product solutions available and tailor the discussion to the specific need for each patient.
Model Development:
Pulse MDM created and imported sculpted digital files into engineering software to create highly realistic heart representation while including all the specifications required for injection molding. This effort was an amazing blend of art and engineering. The data was used to make approval samples and eventually injection molds for mass production.
Model Solution:
The custom model allows Medtronic to help physicians to better educate patients about valve-in-valve procedures and represent how the products sit within the anatomy. Models were produced in volume and shipped globally. The permanent presence of a visually stunning and precisely engineered model in the physician’s extended and enhanced Medtronic’s brand among physicians and patients. Robust and hearty engagement between patients and physicians that meaningfully educates the patient leads to improved healthcare outcomes.
Heart Patient Education Custom Model
Although this custom model is not available for sale to the public, we are delighted to make you a version unique to your medical device and procedure. Please use this link to start the process of receiving a model concept that is a visual representation of how clinicians and patients will experience your product and procedure. Pulse MDM does not charge for model concepts or the conversations around them so there is no risk to see how we can help you to tell your story in the most engaging and memorable way possible.
TAVR Procedure Overview:
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a minimally invasive surgery that repairs aortic valve stenosis valve without removing the native leaflets. The procedure places a prosthetic aortic valve into the opening of the existing aortic valve using femoral artery access as opposed to open-heart surgery.