Graphite reinforced pyrolytic carbon heart valve prosthesis and method

Abstract

A mechanical prosthetic heart valve with a pyrolytic carbon valve body having re-enforcing fibers in the valve body. The fibers may be short segments of graphite wire or continuous fibers may be wrapped around the valve body. The fiber may be arranged in loops and formed in repeating patterns around the valve body. Also, methods for making a prosthetic heart valve body having a first layer of pyrolytic carbon that is substantially free from fiber, a second layer comprised of fibers encased in pyrolytic carbon, and a third layer that is substantially free from fiber. The method may comprise placing a mandrel in a fluidized bed, coating the mandrel with a first layer of pyrolytic carbon, introducing a fiber, coating the mandrel and the fiber with a second layer of pyrolytic carbon, and coating the mandrel with a third layer of pyrolytic carbon.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.