Abstract: A novel bileaflet mitral heart valve is provided herein, which in two alternative embodiments may have symmetrical leaflets or assymmetrical leaflets. It has a stent including a circular base and a pair of upstanding struts separating a pair of arcuately shaped, depressed, reliefs, each such relief being bounded by a smooth curve interconnecting the struts to the circular base. A flexible, durable, biocompatible, e.g. a pericardial, covering is secured to the stent and provides two opposed molded, flexible, flappably-movable, valve leaflets secured along the smooth curve defining the upper perimeter of the reliefs.

Abstract: Mitral heart valve comprising a stent including a circular base and a pair of upstanding diametrically opposed struts, separating a pair of diametrically opposed arcuately shapes depressed reliefs, each such relief being bounded by a smooth curve interconnecting the struts to the circular base. A flexible, durable, biocompatible covering is secured to the stent and provides two equal opposed preset flappably movable valve cusps secured along the smooth curve defining the perimeter of the reliefs. The valve cusps each are preformed and preset so that the perimeter of the biocompatible covering along the free edge of each of the cusps between the tips of each associated strut is so related to the circumference of the circular base that, when the valve is in its forced open position, the cross-sectional area of the exit is substantially equal to the cross-sectional area of the inside of the circular base.