title: A key to identify heart valve prostheses.
abstract: A system for the identification of heart valve prostheses has been developed.  A series of observations is made on the structure of a prosthesis.  Following each the most appropriate choice of two or three alternative findings is made.  One is then directed to the next observation until a genus of prostheses is found with structural characteristics like the unknown one.  Positive identification is aided by a brief description of each prosthesis in the genus.
mesh_terms: D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000145:classification*; D006351:Heart Valves / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans