The project "ELBE-NTM" is elaborated at the PKT in cooperation with the Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf and the Institute of Microsystems Technology of the TEchnical University Hamburg.

Objectives
The aim of this project ELBE-NTM is the development of a neurointerventional training model (NTM) used for the training of catheter-based interventions for the treatment of brain aneurysms. An aneurysm is a bulging, weak area in the wall of a blood vessel. Cerebral aneurysms carry a risk of intracranial hemorrhage, which can lead to disability or death. Current training of neuro-interventional procedures is provided in animal model courses where the elimination of previously induced aneurysms is practiced on rabbits or pigs.

Approach
The NTM is supposed to reduce currently offered advanced training-courses on rabbits or pigs. This model will reproduce the entire range of vascular catheter access in the femoral artery to the brain aneurysm and exceeds the currently existing animal-free feasibilities. A haptic realistic rec-reation of individual vessel geometries will be integrated. For measurements of forces at the an-eurysm an innovative force-sensor for surveillance of the treatment procedure is to be developed. The modeling of aneurysms is produced by additive manufacturing. The additive manufacturing allows the outstanding feature to recreate aneurysms based on patient data and to simulate real cases in any frequency.

      A: Model in CAD with aneurysm                           B: aneurysm model with coil      

The patient-specific aneurysm models are integrated into the demonstrator HANNES (Hamburg Anatomical Neurointerventional Simulation Model), which can be used in a realistic working environment using real surgical devices. HANNES is applied in neuroradiology at the UKE for the education and training of physicians for the catheter treatment of vascular diseases such as aneurysms.

Setup HANNES in angiography

Project management: Prof. Dr.-Ing. D. Krause 

Project execution: Johanna Spallek, M.Sc.

Project foundation

The project is founded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research - BMBF-Fördermaßnahme „Alternativmethoden zum Tierversuch“ from June 2016 until May 2019.

 Project poster