Monitor for Artificial Heart Valves

A new external monitor is designed to improve the security and quality of life of patients with artificial heart valves by quickly noting any deviations in the valve's performance or thrombotic deposits on the valve and indicating these to the user.

Thrombotic deposits can lead to life-threatening complications. Blood recognizes the foreign surface of an artificial heart valve and coagulates there, trying to form a clot as in an ordinary wound. The monitor senses this development or any other abnormal valve behavior immediately by examining the typical clicking noise made by the valve and determining its structure. The "click” consists of many oscillations that gradually fade away. The click changes when the frequency of the signal shifts, which occurs as soon as coagulated deposits are made on the valve or any mechanical change occurs in the valve. All suspicious signals are indicated to the user.

Called ThromboCheck, the new monitor with integrated software is based on modern electronics and digital signal processing. The monitor was developed by CardioSignal GmbH (Hamburg, Germany). The company notes that the monitor produces no side effects, is relatively inexpensive, and is user-friendly. Doctors can instruct their patients on how to use the monitor to check their valves.




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