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Low turbulence heart valve

  • US 5,108,425 A
  • Filed: 05/30/1990
  • Issued: 04/28/1992
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A prosthetic heart valve comprisingan annular valve body having an internal surface that defines an interior passageway for the flow of blood therethrough, the exterior of which body facilitates attachment of a device to mount the prosthetic valve in a mammalian heart,occluder means for permitting the flow of blood in a downstream direction through said passageway while preventing substantial backflow of blood in an upstream direction,pivot means mounting said occluder means within said interior passageway of said valve body so as to pivot to and from positions allowing blood flow in a downstream direction and blocking blood flow in an upstream direction,said occluder means having inflow and outflow major surfaces which face in opposite directions, the edges of which major surfaces terminate at a peripheral surface which resides generally adjacent said valve body internal surface when said occluder means is in the blocking position, said inflow major surface facing upstream and said outflow major surface facing downstream in said blocking position,said outflow surface having a generally flat portion located in the region of said pivot means and having a convex portion in a region downstream of said flat portion,said inflow surface having a concave region which is joined smoothly to a convex region located downstream thereof,said peripheral surface in the region contiguous to said inflow concave and convex surface regions being of substantially constant thickness while said occluder means varies significantly in thickness in the vicinities of said concave and convex surface regions, andsaid convex inflow surface region being defined by curved surfaces that extend smoothly in generally laterally opposite directions from a central ridge to said peripheral surface, said central ridge being located along a central plane that bisects said occluder means.

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