Methods and apparatus for manufacture of valve flaps for cardiac valve prostheses.

摘要

Sheets of incompletely fixed biological tissue comprising portions for defining valve flaps (10) of a cardiac valve prosthesis (1) are provided.

The sheets of biological tissue are mounted on forming means which can separate in a substantially fluid-tight manner the opposite faces of such portions, generating between the sealingly separated opposite faces a fluid pressure difference which produces deformation of the portions towards a conformation substantially identical with the conformation of the valve flaps (10) when mounted in the prosthesis (1 The biological tissue is finally fixed whilst the portions defining the valve flaps (10) of the prosthesis are maintained in the said conformation. The sheets of biological tissue are then separated from the forming means to be subsequently mounted in the frame (2) of the prosthesis (1).