[Experimental study of the effects of sinotubular junction taper on artificial bioprosthesis valve in pulsatile flow...

The aim of the present experimental study is to determine the effects of sinotubular junction diameter on artificial bioprosthesis valves. An experimental study was performed for aortic root models with different sinotubular junction taper under pulsatile flow condition. The sinotubular junction diameters were modified to create four models with different sinotubular junction tapers with 0, 1, 3 and 5 degrees, respectively, using three dimensional printing techniques. After installing the testing bioprosthesis valve on the aortic root models, we conducted experiments of the pulsatile flow testing with different stroke volume in the pulsatile circulation simulation system. The testing condition was set at the pulse frequency of 70 beats/min and the stroke volume of 2-7 L/min. The status of the valves in 10 continuous pulse cycles was tested and the average results were obtained for each stroke volume. The results of testing showed that the mean transvalvular pressure gradients agreed well with the national standard, and all smaller than 10 mm Hg. The sinotubular junction taper had an influence on regurgitation fraction of the artificial bioprosthesis valve. The smaller sinotubular junction taper showed beneficial effect to decrease the regurgitation fraction. In the case of smaller stroke volume, the smaller sinotubular junction taper was beneficial to increase the effective valve orifice area. In the case of larger stroke volume, the larger sinotubular junction taper was beneficial to increase the effective valve orifice area. This study indicates that a doctor should consider the smaller sinotubular junction taper in the case of smaller stroke volume more. In the case of larger stroke volume, the doctor should consider the larger sinotubular junction taper more.