Importance

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Abstract

Disclosed is a heart valve prosthesis having an annular valve body defining a central passageway for blood flow. A pair of curved, convex-concave leaflet occluders pivotally mounted in the valve body and movable between open and closed positions have opposed lateral edges disposed between a mating edge and an arcuate edge. The mating edges of the leaflets engage each other when the valve is closed, with the arcuate edges engaging a preferably frustoconical section of the valve body. A pair of protuberances extend from the valve body to pivotally mount each lateral edge of each leaflet. Each pair of protuberances receives a lateral edge of a leaflet therebetween. The leaflets include a swelled area having a concave lower surface for receiving one protuberance and an upper convex surface for engaging the other protuberance.

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First Claim