Saving a Life: Heart Valve Replacement
Students use their knowledge about how healthy heart valves function to design, construct and implant prototype replacement mitral valves for hypothetical patients' hearts. Building on what they learned in the associated lesson about artificial heart valves, combined with the testing and scoring of their prototype heart valve designs in this activity, students discover the pros and cons of different types of artificial heart valves based on materials, surgery requirements, and lifespan.
Students learn about artificial heart valves
Because diseases of the heart and circulatory system are a leading cause of death in the U.S., artificial heart valves are a leading area of research for biomedical engineers. Heart valve diseases can be fatal if the valve is not replaced. Engineers and physicians use the engineering design process to collaborate to design valves made of materials that the human body accepts and function for as long as possible, and that require the least invasive implantation procedures. This process involves asking to identifying the needs and constraints, researching, imagining possible solutions, planning by selecting a promising solution, creating a prototype, testing, and improving the designs so they are dependable solutions to replace non-functioning heart valves.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Describe how real, healthy heart valves function.
- List some diseases that can affect the heart valves.
- Explain pros and cons of different types of artificial heart valves.