German researchers plan to impel the development of artificial heart valves using a novel procedure.
Each year, approximately 150,000 artificial heart valves are implanted all over the world. However, despite decades of research, their quality is nowhere near that of natural valves. Flow effects lead to thromboses or damage to erythrocytes, or red blood cells. A high-speed camera takes several pictures of the flow in short succession. Using these images, the researchers can make detailed observations about the model's flow behavior.