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Model studies of the closing behaviour of the aortic valve

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 April 2006

A. A. Van Steenhoven
Affiliation:
Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands
M. E. H. Van Dongen
Affiliation:
Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands

Abstract

The closing mechanism of the natural aortic valve is investigated experimentally in a two-dimensional analogue. The interaction between the sinus content and the aortic flow when the latter is decelerating is studied for different Strouhal numbers: for high Strouhal numbers the sinus content rotates virtually as a rigid mass around the centreline whereas for low Strouhal numbers, corresponding to the human situation, the cusp remains straight and slowly rotates around its point of attachment. Simple theoretical models based on the phenomena observed are proposed. Acceptable agreement between theory and experiment is found.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 1979 Cambridge University Press

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