In vitro flow studies demonstrate that leakage flows in mechanical mitral valves can generate turbulent jets with elevated Reynolds stresses, even in bileaflet designs.
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High regurgitant stresses may promote hemolysis or thrombosis; leaves open clinical relevance for bileaflet mitral valve design.
Streak line flow visualization and laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) were conducted in the regurgitant leakage flow region of 3 mechanical heart valve types: CarboMedics, Medtronic Hall, and St. Jude Medical. Streak line flow visualization identified regions of high regurgitant flow, and LDV measurements were focused on those locations. Maximum regurgitant flow velocities after valve closure ranged from 0.7 to 2.6 m/s, and maximum Reynolds shear stress after valve closure ranged from 450 to 3,600 dyne/cm2. These data indicate that leakage flows can generate turbulent jets with elevated Reynolds stresses even in bileaflet valves.
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Meyer et al. (2001) studied this question.
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