To provide effective treatment for brain aneurysms, a pioneering healthcare company has developed a digital twin to help physicians place implant devices during surgery.
In one of the latest Ansys newsletter it is presented an important success story for the in silico medicine world. Sim&Cure is the first company to be cleared to market a patient-based digital twin incorporating simulation for aneurysm treatment that includes expansion and deployment of implants based on the patient’s unique arterial geometry.
"...In Sim&Cure’s new method, 3D rotational angiography is used to produce a 3D model of the aneurysm and surrounding blood vessels after the patient is prepped for surgery. Sim&Cure’s software imports the model of the artery and presents it to the surgeon, who selects points on the artery that define the ideal final position and deployed size of the implant.
Sim&Cure’s IDsize® software simulates intrasaccular device implants incorporating models of a wide range of sizes of the available implant devices so the surgeon can select the specific implant that he or she wishes to simulate. Sim&Cure combines the model of the patient’s arteries with a model of the selected device and produces an ANSYS Mechanical input file. ANSYS Mechanical analyzes the deformation of the device and arteries, along with their interaction with each other, and provides a 3D model of the device deployed in the patient’s artery that shows the implant and the aneurysm superimposed on each other.
The physician can translate, rotate and zoom the image to fully understand the relationship between the implant and the aneurysm. Color coding can be used to show the exact area where the implant touches the embolism (blockage). A cross-sectional profile indicates any gaps between the implant and the artery. Each simulation takes only 10 to 25 seconds, depending on the device that is selected. The surgeon can easily select and simulate additional devices and sizes for analysis in order to determine which one will provide the best results. In less than five minutes, the surgeon can complete the simulation process, select the optimal device and begin the operation.
Clinical trials conducted in three European hospitals have shown a significant reduction in follow-up surgeries and in surgery duration. Sim&Cure’s solution is now being used in 17 different countries with expectations that it will be used in more than 2,000 surgeries by the end of this year."
You can read the full article from this link
