Metallic cardiac valve prosthesis

Claim 1

A metallic cardiac valve prosthesis device having both aortic and mitral application and the purpose of which is to provide an ample, highly physiological and laminar flow of blood, said device comprising: a valve body in the form of a single and integral ring-shaped member having an oval-shaped inner periphery; said ring-shaped member having formed therein first and second recesses respectively defining first and second substantially planar steps, said first recess opening toward a first axial end of said ring-shaped member, said second recess opening toward a second axial end of said ring-shaped member, said first recess extending along a first circumferential portion of said inner periphery, said second recess extending along a second circumferential portion of said inner periphery, and said second circumferential portion being greater than said first circumferential portion; said first and second recesses having adjacent first ends defined by a pair of respective first end faces positioned adjacent to each other, and said first and second recesses having adjacent second ends defined by a pair of respective second end faces positioned adjacent to each other; said ring-shaped member having integrally formed therewith first and second pivots extending inwardly from said ring-shaped member at positions respectively adjacent said pairs of first and second end faces; a venticular plug in the form of an oval-shaped flat member having formed in the periphery thereof first and second spaced inwardly extending grooves; said flat member being positioned such that said first and second pivots pivotally extend into said first and second grooves, respectively, such that said flat member pivots with respect to said ring-shaped member, between closed and opened positions, about an imaginary pivot axis extending through said pivots and grooves and substantially parallel to and spaced from the minor axis of the oval shape of said flat member; said first and second planar steps being in planes spaced from each other axially of said ring-shaped member by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of said flat member, and said flat member having opposite substantially planar first and second surfaces respectively contacting said first and second planar steps when said flat member is in said closed position; said first and second end faces being substantially planar and abutting said opposite surfaces of said flat member when said flat member is in said opened position; and said first end faces being spaced from each other and said second end faces being spaced from each other by amounts sufficient to enable said flat member, when in said opened position, to extend at an angle of from 80° to 85° with respect to the position of said flat member when in said closed position.