Abstract

There are two types of artificial heart valves, namely, (i) biological valves and (ii) mechanical valves. biological heart valves are made from tissue taken from animals or human cadavers. They are treated with preservatives and sterilized for human implantation. On the other hand, mechanical heart valves are made of man-made materials. The advantage of mechanical valves over biological valves is that they normally last for a comparatively longer lifetime. The biological valves exhibit a shorter lifetime and tend to wear out with time in service. This chapter discusses mechanical heart valves and highlights the underlying problems faced with biomaterials used in the manufacture of such valves. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2007, 2016.