A Novel FEM-Based Numerical Solver for Interactive Catheter Simulation in Virtual Catheterization

Virtual reality-based simulators are very helpful for trainees to acquire the skills of manipulating catheters and guidewires during the vascular interventional surgeries. In the development of such a simulator, however, it is a great challenge to realistically model and simulate deformable catheters and guidewires in an interactive manner. We propose a novel method to simulate the motion of catheters or guidewires and their interactions with patients' vascular system. Our method is based on the principle of minimal total potential energy. We formulate the total potential energy in the vascular interventional circumstance by summing up the elastic energy deriving from the bending of the catheters or guidewires, the potential energy due to the deformation of vessel walls, and the work by the external forces. We propose a novel FEM-based approach to simulate the deformation of catheters and guidewires. The motion of catheters or the guidewires and their responses to every input from the interventionalist can be calculated globally. Experiments have been conducted to validate the feasibility of the proposed method, and the results demonstrate that our method can realistically simulate the complex behaviors of catheters and guidewires in an interactive manner

PPU-friendly Biomechanical Models for Virtual Medicine

International audience— The main focus of virtual medicine is to develop anddeliver virtual reality based training and computer enhancedlearning in medicine. Traditionally, medical students learndiagnostic, therapeutic and surgical skills through difficult clinicaltraining on live patients. With the change in the health economics,the advances of minimal invasive surgery (MIS) and shortening ofhospitalization time, source and availability of patient for teachingbecome a major problem. Advanced technologies such as virtualreality, visualization and dedicated hardware accelerator forgraphics or physics processing can help making the learningprocess more efficient, engaging and flexible. It is possible toconstruct immersive environments to provide realisticvisualization and haptics feedbacks for anatomy education andsurgical training. In this paper, we would like to share ourexperiences of using a newly released physics processing unit (PPU)in developing various virtual medicine applications in virtualorthopedic trauma surgery, ultrasound guide biopsy training,virtual neuro-endoscopy and telemedicin