A novel study of mechanical heart valve cavitation in a pressurized pulsatile duplicator.

摘要: Submission of data regarding the cavitation potential a mechanical heart valve is recommended by U.S. Food and Drug Administration in device-review process. An acoustic method has long been proposed for detection. However, question as to whether such can differentiate noise from closing sound not sufficiently addressed. In this study, near Medtronic Hall tilting disc was investigated pressurized pulsatile duplicator. The purpose pressurizing testing chambers prevent under normally cavitating loading condition isolate sound. By comparing signals before after pressurization, some noticeable differences were found between them. time domain, intensity much higher. frequency energy distribution signal distinctively different depending on occurred or not. had large amount low-frequency range (less than about 25 kHz). When took place, shifted toward high-frequency (from 500