Polymer trileaflet valves have been under investigation for the past 40–50 years in an attempt to produce a valve alternative that is both durable and non-thrombogenic. Most have met with limited success due to oxidative reactions and high dynamic stresses borne by the material [1]. With this knowledge, an oxidatively stable polyolefin, poly(styrene-b-isobutylene-b-styrene) (SIBS), was selected for the design of a fiber-reinforced polymer trileaflet heart valve. The hydrodynamic properties of prototype SIBS valves have been encouraging, but some valves failed prematurely as a result of insufficient durability during in vivo implantation in a sheep model or during accelerated in vitro fatigue.

This content is only available via PDF.
You do not currently have access to this content.