New mechanical heart valve developed

SCIENTISTS AT Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Thiruvananthapuram, have developed a new tilting disc type mechanical heart valve prosthesis to replace the diseased natural heart valve. The newly developed artificial heart valve has bio-compatibility, blood-compatibility and perfect performance for a longer period.

SCIENTISTS AT Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Thiruvananthapuram, have developed a new tilting disc type mechanical heart valve prosthesis to replace the diseased natural heart valve. The newly developed artificial heart valve has bio-compatibility, blood-compatibility and perfect performance for a longer period.

HT Image

GS Bhuvaneshwar and CV Muraleedharan, the two scientists of SCTIMST who had come to attend the four- day international meet on biomaterials design at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-K) this week, told Hindustan Times that the valve was available in the market for commercial use. It was being marketed in the name of TTK-Chitra Heart Valve Prosthesis.

The two scientists said, “The valve incorporates a metallic cage machined from a cobalt based alloy Haynes-25, an occulder made from ultra high molecular weight polythylene and a sewing ring of polyester fabric.

The scientists said that the previous valve lacked certain compatibilities. The clinical data showed that the incidence of complications like thrombo-embolism for this heart valve prosthesis was similar to that of all other mechanical heart valves in current clinical use and was especially prominent in the first year of implantation.

MRI compatibility of cobalt-based alloys was another concern in this case of current model, they said.

But the improved tilting heart valve developed at SCTIMST was an improved version of the previous valve. The improved design enhanced the minor orifice flow and the titanium nitride coating on the cage reduced the incidence of thrombo-embolic complications.