Design and Mechanical Evaluation of an Aortic Valve Replacement Prosthesis

Cardiovascular diseases are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, often necessitating medical intervention for heart valve abnormalities. Artificial valves, mechanical or biological, are implanted when native valves malfunction. This study presents the development of a mechanical prototype aortic valve for use in patients requiring heart valve replacement. Initially, the aortic valve’s relevant anatomical and functional data were collected from medical images through tomography scans. These images were processed using 3D Slicer software to segment and reconstruct only the value of interest, generating a representation as the basis for 3D modeling. Subsequently, the data were imported into Fusion 360 software, where three-dimensional shapes were extruded and modeled. The model was configured with three materials: titanium, aluminum, and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Stress-strain tests were conducted using Fusion 360 software to assess the efficiency of the three configurations regarding valve opening and closing. Stress-strain simulations in Fusion 360 revealed that the titanium design had a maximum opening of 0.756 mm, and the aluminum design achieved a maximum opening of 1.224 mm. The polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) design recorded a maximum opening of 3.824 mm. The PTFE design was observed to allow valve opening mediated by blood pressure and flow direction. The results suggest that the PTFE design offers greater valve opening capacity in response to simulated blood loads, indicating increased adaptability and optimal performance under hemodynamic conditions. It is concluded that this design meets the required mechanical properties for clinical implementation, ensuring proper blood circulation through the valve, mediated by blood pressure and flow.