| abstract |
The invention provides a prosthetic valve having a generally annular frame with three post and three scallops. The frame is tri-symmetric with an axis of symmetry defined by the axis of blood flow through the valve. The external surface of the frame is generally cylindrical with diameter D. Each leaflet has a truncated spherical surface adjacent to its free edge. The spherical surface is joined tangentially to a truncated conical surface. The half angle of the truncated cone is approximately 37.5°. The radius of the sphere is approximately D/2−0.5 (mm). The leaflet surface is axi-symmetrical with the axis of symmetry being perpendicular to the axis of the valve frame and blood flow. |