Validation of Bench Durability of Bioprosthetic Heart Valves

Abstract

The number of heart valve replacements is increasing in the United States and worldwide due to aging of the population. This situation requires bioprosthetic heart valves with higher durability to reduce the rate of reoperation and the need for anticoagulation. However, introducing any improvement in the design of a heart valve requires ten years of validation in a clinical setup. A validated in-vitro fatigue testing system would significantly accelerate these innovations. The main objective of the proposed research is to: • Determine the dynamics of flow patterns and stresses in the vicinity of a bioprosthetic heart valve under pulsatile flow conditions. • Use the flow pattern information to validate an in-vitro fatigue testing system under physiological and accelerated conditions.