Fig. 5
From: Three-dimensional printing in modelling mitral valve interventions
An example of a Mock Circulatory System (MCS). Left ventricular haemodynamics are simulated by electrical motor which can be tuned by a control interface to modulate physiological variables such as heart rate and stroke volume. Blood mimicking fluid (tap water in this system) is driven through the modelled left heart chambers. A spring within an aortic outflow tower (AV outflow) can be altered to set afterload. A patient-specific silicone valve replica is placed within the system and evaluated using transoesophageal echo. Mitral pathology is simulated by tuning the tension on the chordae of the patient-specific valve replicas [65]