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A fluid-mechanical study of the closure of heart valves

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 April 2006

C. S. F. Lee
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
L. Talbot
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley

Abstract

The fluid mechanics of heart-valve motion is investigated experimentally and theoretically. From the experiments, it is found that the principal mechanism ensuring optimal mitral-valve closure is the pressure field induced by a strong flow deceleration through the valve. A complete theory, evolved from the Bellhouse & Talbot analytical model, is developed for both the mitral and the aortic valve to provide a relationship between valve motion and valve flow. Results predicted by this theory agree consistently well with those obtained from experiments.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 1979 Cambridge University Press

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References

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