Evaluation of embolic deflection device using optical particle tracking

Trans-aortic valve replacement is a new endovascular procedure which has started to be used routinely in cardiac interventional suites. During such procedures a stent-like device containing new aortic valves is placed over the damaged ones, possibly causing calcifications to be dislodged and released in arteries leading to stroke. To prevent such events, new devices are being developed to provide distal protection to the brain supplying arteries. Currently there is a need to evaluate such device efficacy in a repeatable manner. We are proposing and investigating such a method based on particle optical tracking. We simulated such protective devices using two porous screens (150 and 200 μm pore size) which were placed in an arterial bifurcation phantom connected to a clinically relevant flow loop. A mask was acquired and gold embolic particles (100-300μm) were injected at a steady rate using a motorized injector. Optical images with 2 ms exposure were acquired at 30 fps. Images were subtracted, thresholded and filtered using a 5x5 median filter. ROI's were drawn over the main and bifurcating arteries and a particle counting algorithm was used to estimate particle flow rates in each artery for each run. The unprotected and the two protected cases were evaluated. Before filter placement, the particle flow rate was 60 and 40 %, respectively, of the main artery. After the filter placement, the particle flow rate in the protected branch was 4% and 8% of the particle flow rate in the main artery. We present a method to assess the efficacy of such devices using an optical particle tracking and counting technique.