Bokros Carbomedics On-X Bileaflet Valve
date: label: date made
content: 1996
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: The Bokros Carbomedics On-X Bileaflet Valve was developed by Dr. Jack Bokros, PhD, a nuclear engineer who in 1965 in collaboration with Dr. Vincent Gott is responsible for applying pyrolytic carbon to artificial heart valves. This material quickly became the 'gold standard for heart valves due to its biocompatibility, its strength and durability. It remains today as the most accepted material for mechanical valves.
label: Description (Brief)
content: This specific valve is a demonstration valve with parallel pivots. It lacks a pyrolytic carbon donut and instead has a small plastic one. The On-X model was introduced in 1996.
label: Description (Brief)
content: Bokros was very involved with St. Jude Medical in the development of the first all-carbon bi-leaflet valve. He is also the founder of Carbomedics Incorporated and On-X Life Technologies. In the 1990s, his company was responsible for fabricating pyrolyte for more than 2 million valves, worldwide. More than 500,000 Carbomedics valves have been implanted because of their highly biocompatible, pure carbon surface.
label: Description (Brief)
content: In an interview the donor Manny Villafaña talks about the Bokros Carbomedics On-X Bileaflet Valve; the manufacturers were making an inexpensive valve for the Chinese market. It “was originally called a PRC Valve…it stands for the People’s Republic of China…It was made in Texas for China…But then it sold worldwide and became a big competitor of St. Jude…”
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Texas, Austin
topic: label: Subject
content: Cardiology
label: Subject
content: Prosthesis
label: Subject
content: Artificial Organs
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Medicine
label: See more items in
content: Health & Medicine
label: See more items in
content: Artificial Heart Valves
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Manuel Villafaña
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2015.0031.38
label: catalog number
content: 2015.0031.38
label: accession number
content: 2015.0031
objectType: label: Object Name
content: cardiology
label: Object Name
content: artificial heart valve
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: .7 cm x 2.2 cm; 9/32 in x 7/8 in