The New St. Jude Medical Regent^TM Mechanical Heart Valve:
Laboratory Measurements of Hydrodynamic Performance
David K. Walker PhD, Avrom M. Brendzel PhD, Lawrence N. Scotten DiplT

The performance of a new St. Jude Medical (SJM) mechanical heart valve - the SJM Regent^TM valve - with increased orifice area, has been measured using a laboratory simulation of the left heart system. Hydrodynamic measurements confirm the gain of the SJM Regent valve over the Hemodynamic Plus Series (HP) that is expected, based on the increased geometric orifice area. The pressure gradient, effective orifice area (EOA) and energy loss of the SJM Regent valve were all improved by approximately one-size increment when compared with the HP valve. Given its basic similarity of design, but with increased EOA as demonstrated in vitro, the SJM Regent valve is anticipated to provide an increased level of clinical benefit.