Heart valve research Four heart valve: –Tricuspid (from right atrium to right ventricle) –Pulmonic (from right ventricle to lungs) –Mitral (from left atrium to left ventricle) –Aortic (from left ventricle to upper and lower body) We are studying the Tricuspid, Mitral, and Aortic

What causes heart valve disease? Narrowed valves –congenital abnormality –degeneration through atherosclerosis –damage from rheumatic fever –excessive calcification in old age Leaking valves –bacterial infection or inflammation of a valve –excessive floppiness of the leaflets –enlargement of the heart or aorta

Mechanics of the mitral valve

Einstein DR, Kunzelman K, Reinhall PG, Nicosia M, Cochran RP, “The Relationship of Normal and Abnormal Microstructural Proliferation to The Mitral Valve Closure Sound.”, Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, in press, 2004

Mechanics of the aortic valve Leaflets Cylindrical graft Graft + Root Coronary Ostium Coronary Ostium Root-valve attachment edge Attachment sinus region Sinotubular junction sinus region

Mechanics of the aortic valve kPa Grande KJ, Cochran RP, Reinhall PG, and Kunzelman KS, “Simulation of Aortic Valve- Sparing: Influence of Graft Shape and Stiffness”, IEEE Transactions in Biomedical Engineering, Vol. 48(6), 2001,

Mechanics of the aortic valve * * * * * * * * * *