Theoretical evaluation of energy loss methods in the analysis of prosthetic heart valves

The purpose of this paper is to clarify certain aspects of the 'energy loss' approach to the analysis of artificial heart valves. This involves the discussion of what is meant by 'energy loss'; the derivation of an appropriate energy equation; the scrutiny of the conditions under which it may be applied and of the assumptions involved in deriving a useful formulation in terms of readily measurable parameters; consideration of the extent to which these assumptions are valid in reported experiments using this formulation and the demonstration of the suitability and versatility of this approach when applied specifically to heart valve conduits.