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Artificial cardiac valve prostheses designed as two semicircular discs (i.e., bileaflet valves) that tilt, opening and closing the valve. These prostheses typically consist of two tungsten leaflets covered with pyrolytic carbon which may provide an opening from 75 to 85 degrees; the leaflets are usually mounted on a solid carbon housing reinforced with titanium. Heart contractions (i.e., pumping) open and close the leaflets acting as a valve. Bileaflet cardiac valves are artificial (mechanical) valves and are frequently used to replace the mitral and/or aortic valve.
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