ObjectiveThis work describes the experimental validation of a cardiac simulator for
three heart rates (60, 80 and 100 beats per minute), under physiological
conditions, as a suitable environment for prosthetic heart valves testing in
the mitral or aortic position.MethodsIn the experiment, an aortic bileaflet mechanical valve and a mitral
bioprosthesis were employed in the left ventricular model. A test fluid of
47.6% by volume of glycerin solution in water at 36.5ºC was used as blood
analogue fluid. A supervisory control and data acquisition system
implemented previously in LabVIEW was applied to induce the ventricular
operation and to acquire the ventricular signals. The parameters of the left
ventricular model operation were based on in vivo and in
vitro data. The waves of ventricular and systemic pressures, aortic flow,
stroke volume, among others, were acquired while manual adjustments in the
arterial impedance model were also established.ResultsThe acquired waves showed good results concerning some in
vivo data and requirements from the ISO 5840 standard.ConclusionThe experimental validation was performed, allowing, in future studies,
characterizing the hydrodynamic performance of prosthetic heart valves.