Ida Anna Cappello, a researcher at the Heart Rhythm Management Center at the University Hospital Brussels (VUB), developed biomedical technology with patient-specific, 3D printed surgical templates for cardiovascular procedures. Working closely with cardiologists and cardiac surgeons, Cappello’s work holds great promise for significantly improving precision in complex cardiac surgeries.
Cappello’s research focuses on designing custom 3D-printed templates for hybrid electrophysiology surgery, where both electrophysiologists and cardiac surgeons perform open-heart procedures. Using advanced CT scans and LGE-MRI data from individual patients, these surgical templates help to accurately visualize and locate critical treatment areas. For example, they can determine the optimal location for placing a bypass in narrowed coronary arteries or detect necrotic areas after prolonged ischemia due to atherosclerotic plaques.
"Although medical technology has made many advances, cardiac surgeons still often rely on two-dimensional images to find the best site for bypass implantation. It is amazing that in 2024 we are still using such outdated methods," said Cappello. "My research provides a practical and precise tool to improve patient outcomes."
Cappello has developed two types of surgical templates:
1. Bypass template: helps surgeons identify the optimal location for bypass placement, considering factors such as vessel diameter and distance from blockages.
2. Ablation template for ventricular tachycardia: helps localize scar tissue that can cause life-threatening arrhythmias so surgeons can "burn away" this tissue in a targeted manner to prevent abnormal electrical signals.
"One of the major breakthroughs of this work is the ability to combine both templates in a single surgical tool, so that both coronary artery disease and arrhythmias can be treated during a single procedure. This dual treatment can significantly reduce surgery time and improve the recovery process for patients," Cappello continued.
Cappello completed her doctorate in a shortened 2.5-year period and conducted extensive experiments, including trials on pig hearts in saline, to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the materials for these surgical templates. Her findings have been published in multiple academic journals, and in less than two years she has authored five scientific papers.
"This project is not just a scientific breakthrough-it has real potential to transform cardiac surgery. Going forward, expansion of research into clinical settings is needed, with plans for further trials and collaboration with animal research laboratories," Cappello concludes.
