Mechanical and other problems of artificial valves

This chapter has discussed the design, development, laboratory testing and clinical performance of artificial heart valve replacements. The published material on this subject is extensive and clearly this present chapter represents only a limited selection of the many topics and researchers associated with the production of clinically implantable valves. Any omissions should not be regarded as a criticism, but simply the result of economy of space. The field is still developing and the situation regarding the advantages and disadvantages of the various types of valves as illustrated in Table 3 still obtains notwithstanding the many improvements which have been made with current designs. Valve development is, and will continue to be, closely allied to advances in our understanding of the behaviour of the materials of construction. Ultimately, improved haemodynamic performances of the various valve configurations will result from designs based on data from computerised fluid dynamic analysis combined with finite element stress analysis according to recognised engineering design principles.