DEVELOPMENT OF A PROSTHETIC VENOUS VALVE

The objective of this study was to develop a prosthetic venous valve that could be implanted in the human femoral system to ameliorate the deleterious effects of thrombophlebitis. Prosthetic venous valves were produced from two materials: Pellethane valves were fabricated from a dip-casting process; umbilical vein valves were produced by a fixation process. The valves were evaluated as implants within the external jugular veins of 10 research dogs. Each animal was implanted with one Pellethane valve in one external jugular vein and one umbilical vein venous valve in the contralateral jugular vein. All of the umbilical vein venous valves were occluded by the end of 48 h, whereas two of the Pellethane venous valves remained patent for at least 5 days but were occluded at 8 days. The results of this study suggest the possiblity of success of Pellethane valve implants in the venous circulation.