ABSTRACT
Heart valve function is primarily governed by the pressure gradients across the valves during different cardiac phases, although other active mechanisms have been implicated. On the right side of the heart, the tricuspid valve controls the flow of deoxygenated blood from the right atrium into the right ventricle, and the pulmonary valve maintains forward flow from the right ventricle into the lungs. The aortic valve is composed of three semilunar cusps, or leaflets, within the aortic root, which is the base of the aorta abutting the heart. In vitro laser Doppler anemometry experiments have shown that the flow patterns are dependent on the valve geometry and thus can be used to evaluate function and performance of the heart valve. The papillary muscles on the right side of the hearts are not as well dened as those seen on the le side of the heart as with the mitral valve.
