Hexsyn trileaflet valve: application to temporary blood pumps.

A trileaflet valve, compression molded of Hexsyn rubber, was evaluated as a component in temporary blood pumps. A pair of valves was integrated into an LVAD which was tested in vitro and in vivo. The valve's hemodynamic performance was satisfactory and the blood compatibility was excellent in a three-week, in vivo experiment conducted to demonstrate performance in a short-term application. Hexsyn, which has excellent properties and produces high quality, complex components with ease of fabrication, offers a potential for low-cost blood pump valves.