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Published on: August 23, 2011
The evolution of bioprosthetic heart valve design and its impact on durability
1Department of Biomedical Engineering/ND20, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. vesely@bme.ri.ccf.org
Abstract:
Bioprosthetic heart valves have evolved over the years into remarkably useful and predictable devices. During this process, a number of specific designs have come and gone, and a few have remained. Many design changes were successful, and many were not. This article will describe the successes and failures of the various bioprosthetic valve designs and will detail the specific reasons why a particular design change succeeded or failed to improve bioprosthetic valve performance.
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