1. The Bjork-Shiley Heart Valve By Daniel Wec

2. Brief Overview The Bjork-Shiley Heart Valve is an artificial heart valve used to deal with defective heart valves or heart valvular diseases. It is a mechanical heart valve and has been in use since the 1970s. It is based on a tilting disc design where two struts (inlet and outlet) allow the disc to open and close to enable the blood to flow through.

3. History 1969 – The Bjork-Shiley Heart Valve is developed by Dr. Viking Bjork and Donald Shiley. 1970s – It is one of the most common mechanical heart valves to be implanted in patients who require an artificial heart valve. 1979 – Pfizer buys out Shiley, Inc and creates secrecy agreements which prevent important information (faulty outlet tip) to be released to the FDA and doctors. 1986 – FDA takes the heart valve off the market. 1992 – Pfizer sells Shiley’s businesses to Sorin Biomedical. 1994 – Lawsuit is settled and Pfizer is to pay around $20 million (some estimates are closer to $200 million.)

4. Currently Alliance Medical Technologies purchased the heart valve line from Sorin Biomedical. The firm has former Shiley and Pfizer employees working for it.

5. Limitations Open-Heart Surgery Blood Thinning Medication Backflow Blood Infection Blood Tests 30 year lifespan

6. Future The Bjork-Shiley Heart Valve can once again become used and if it is, the following are improvements that can be made to allow the device to function better: Remove the need for blood thinning medication. Reduce the amount of backflow. Lower the risk of blood infection. Increase the time between blood tests from 4-6 weeks or possibly even remove the need for blood tests at all. Increase the durability and, in turn, the lifespan of the device.

7. Works Cited "Artificial Heart Valve." Wikipedia. N.p.. Web. 24 Nov 2012. "Bjork Shiley Heart Valve." Lawyers and Settlements. N.p., 24 2012. Web. 24 Nov 2012. "Bjork-Shiley valve." Wikipedia. N.p.. Web. 24 Nov 2012. "Mechanical Heart Valves." cedars-sinai. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Nov 2012. <http://www.cedars-sinai.edu/Patients/Programs-and- Services/Heart-Institute/Centers-and-Programs/Cardiothoracic- Surgery-Services/Heart-Valve-Repair-and-Replacement/Mechanical- Heart-Valves.aspx; "Mechanical Heart Valve." drexel.edu. N.p., 17 2008. Web. 24 Nov 2012.