Importance

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Abstract

A trileaflet heart valve includes a generally annular valve body having an interior wall of nominally circular cross-section into which three wedge-shaped projections radially extend to provide three pairs of flanking flat surfaces between which three leaflets are pivotally supported. The valve body has an outwardly flaring upstream entrance end that, together with the configuration of the leaflets, assures streamlined flow and low transvalvular pressure drop. Wing sections extend laterally in both directions at angles between about 30.degree. and 50.degree. from flat central sections of the leaflets to create V-shaped cross-section leaflet bodies having short flat edge sections along the lateral edges of both wing sections that create a wide open central flow passageway. The three leaflets assume an orientation parallel or nearly parallel to the central axis in full open position. Leaflet movement from open to closed position is partially defined by upstream retainers aligned with the flat central sections of each leaflet and by surfaces formed in or on the side walls of the projections along which the leaflets slide.

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First Claim