Mandrel for making stented or stentless heart valve comprising a fibre reinforced composite material

摘要

The mandrel comprises a cylindrical lower mandrel half-section with at least three sloping surfaces at its top end, and a cylindrical upper mandrel half-section containing a cavity with sloping side walls in its bottom end, the angles of these side walls corresponding to the angles of the sloping surfaces at the top end of the lower mandrel half-section. The bottom end of the upper mandrel half-section is provided with protuberances extending in the circumferential direction, the number and positions of which correspond to the cavity side walls. A mandrel used for making a synthetic, fibre-reinforced heart valve comprises an essentially cylindrical lower mandrel half-section with at least three sloping surfaces at its top end, and an essentially cylindrical upper mandrel half-section containing a cavity with sloping side walls in its bottom end, the angles of these side walls corresponding to the angles of the sloping surfaces at the top end of the lower mandrel half-section. The bottom end of the upper mandrel half-section is provided with protuberances extending in the circumferential direction, the number and positions of which correspond to the cavity side walls. Independent claims are also included for (a) two methods for making a synthetic, fibre-reinforced stentless heart valve using this mandrel, (b) a method for making a synthetic, fibre-reinforced stented heart valve using this mandrel, and (c) a synthetic, fibre-reinforced stentless heart valve comprising an essentially cylindrical tube with outwards protruding parts and leaflets on the inner wall, the leaflets containing reinforcing fibres (42) that extend into the tube material.