In vitro characterization of an aortic bioprosthetic valve using Doppler echocardiography and qualitative flow visualization.
A 19 mm diameter prototype bioprosthetic valve mounted in a cardiac pulse duplicator was characterized using Doppler echocardiography and qualitative flow visualization at a heart rate of 72 bpm. Analysis of the flow visualization images revealed that the prototype and control valve leaflets open symmetrically but close asymmetrically. The asymmetry in the closing of the valves is likely due to the large pressure gradients across the valves and may have implications for the long term mechanical failure of the valves. The relatively high peak systolic velocity of 309.9 cm/s, which was measured in the prototype 19 mm valve, can be attributed to the small valve diameter and the high cardiac output used in the current study.
Biomedical Engineering Research Group, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
Kiran
K
Dellimore
Iain
I
Kemp
Reynaldo
R
Rodriguez
Cornie
C
Scheffer
D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D002302:Cardiac Output; D019295:Computational Biology; D003198:Computer Simulation; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D011312:Pressure; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012984:Software
D001672:Biocompatible Materials