The objective of the RHU ICELAND is to develop a new solution for annuloplasty of the mitral valve by transfemoral approach integrating an Intra Cardiac Ultrasound. Such a solution can be performed while the heart is beating, without cardiopulmonary bypass, thus providing a first-stage mitral valve repair solution for patients considered high risk who are not eligible for open surgery, and further for most patients requiring mitral valve repair. .

Direct annuloplasty consists of reproducing a real surgical annuloplasty with fixation of a ring or band directly on the mitral annulus using anchors under direct echocardiographic and fluoroscopic guidance. The advantage of this technique is that it influences the shape of the mitral annulus, thus reproducing as closely as possible the surgical mitral annuloplasty.

The RHU ICELAND project must meet the technological and medical challenges that characterize the different phases of the project:

− Develop a safe and robust implant using a stapling system that can be adapted to the morphology of each patient.

− Combine a strap adapted to the morphology of each patient with a stapling system to effectively treat mitral insufficiency over the long term.

− Develop a delivery technique that allows high precision in the positioning of anchors, thanks to the combined use of complementary imaging solutions (ETO + ICE)

− Propose an imaging solution to predict or diagnose the need for annuloplasty and to quantify the improvement brought about by mitral annuloplasty (multimodal image, data fusion) associated with a software solution that automatically assesses the evolution of the patient.

− Create a digital simulator to train surgeons but also to prepare surgical gestures more efficiently thanks to the combination of static and dynamic imaging solutions.

− Facilitate the work of the Heart team by providing a robotic solution for co-manipulation of the delivery system controlled by imaging systems.

The concept of collaboration within the ICELAND project is based on the combination of know-how and expertise with the aim of creating an ecosystem conducive to innovation. Each university entity is internationally recognized in its field of expertise, the hospital teams allow medical practice to be at the forefront of the project, and the industrial partner CMINOV is a startup that brings its agility and ability to develop technical solutions. innovations, as well as its regulatory expertise and product development methodologies.

This project is an example of a public-private partnership capable of providing innovative solutions in structural heart repair, which represents a major strategic challenge for health systems that have to deal with the constant increase in cardiovascular diseases and their economic impact.