Conduits available for right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) reconstruction eventually become stenotic and/or insufficient due to calcification. To reduce the incidence of reoperations, using a bicuspid-valved polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) conduit for the RVOT reconstruction can be a viable alternative. The previous designs of this PTFE conduit performed well both in vitro and in clinical evaluations, with relatively low pressure drop, and intact valve motion independent from the conduit curvature, orientation or valve location, but at the expense of increased diastolic flow regurgitation. This undergraduate research project aims to optimize the conduit hemodynamics through the joint use of computational bioengineering modeling, bicuspid heart-valve shape optimization and in vitro hemodynamic evaluation. In addition, the development of a novel device for the intra-operative creation of sinuses in the conduit for improved valve closure is described.
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