Key result
A novel polymeric heart valve design optimized using finite elements demonstrated improved hydrodynamic performance and reduced stress levels compared to an existing design during in vitro testing.
A novel polymeric heart valve design optimized via finite element analysis demonstrates improved hydrodynamic performance and reduced stress in vitro.
Novel polymeric valve design merits preclinical testing; leaves open durability or hemodynamic gains versus existing prostheses.
Polymeric heart valves could offer an optimum alternative to current prostheses, by joining the advantages of mechanical and bioprosthetic valves. Though a number of materials suitable for this application have recently become available, significant improvements in the valve design are still needed. In this paper, a novel polymeric heart valve design is proposed and its optimization procedure, based on the use of finite elements, is described. The design strategy was aimed at reducing the energy absorbed during the operating cycle, resulting in high hydrodynamic performances and reduced stress levels. The efficacy of the design strategy was assessed by comparing the valve dynamics and stress levels predicted numerically during the cycle with those of an existing and well qualified polymeric valve design. The improved hydrodynamic performance of the proposed design was confirmed experimentally, by in vitro testing in a pulse duplicator.
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Burriesci et al. (2009) studied this question. Novel polymeric heart valve design vs. Existing polymeric valve design was evaluated on Valve dynamics, stress levels, and hydrodynamic performance. A novel polymeric heart valve design optimized using finite elements demonstrated improved hydrodynamic performance and reduced stress levels compared to an existing design during in vitro testing.
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