초록 ▼

A suturing ring to attach the body of an implantable heart valve to heart tissue by sutures is composed of a fabric containing an inorganic antimicrobial agent. The fabric can have a material coating the fibers of the fabric in which particles of the agent are embedded. The coating material can be e

A suturing ring to attach the body of an implantable heart valve to heart tissue by sutures is composed of a fabric containing an inorganic antimicrobial agent. The fabric can have a material coating the fibers of the fabric in which particles of the agent are embedded. The coating material can be elastomeric and the fabric porous, to improve its flexibility, or non-porous and the fabric ring can be coated with a tissue compatible substance such as collagen. One type of ring has an annular top part to fit over one of top and bottom surfaces of the valve body and defining an opening to the heart valve, a step wall depending from the annular top part to extend along said valve body wall and an outwardly extending flange through which the sutures are to be sewn.

대표청구항 ▼

A suturing ring to attach the body of an implantable heart valve to heart tissue by sutures is composed of a fabric containing an inorganic antimicrobial agent. The fabric can have a material coating the fibers of the fabric in which particles of the agent are embedded. The coating material can be e

A suturing ring to attach the body of an implantable heart valve to heart tissue by sutures is composed of a fabric containing an inorganic antimicrobial agent. The fabric can have a material coating the fibers of the fabric in which particles of the agent are embedded. The coating material can be elastomeric and the fabric porous, to improve its flexibility, or non-porous and the fabric ring can be coated with a tissue compatible substance such as collagen. One type of ring has an annular top part to fit over one of top and bottom surfaces of the valve body and defining an opening to the heart valve, a step wall depending from the annular top part to extend along said valve body wall and an outwardly extending flange through which the sutures are to be sewn. comprising a drive mechanism to drive the polishing surface of the polishing sheet in a generally linearly direction. 5. A substrate polishing method, comprising: holding a substrate against a polishing surface of a polishing sheet, the polishing sheet having a plurality of opaque projecting surface features disposed across the polishing surface with a substantially uniform density; and probing the substrate through the polishing sheet by directing a light beam through the polishing sheet and detecting light reflected from the substrate, wherein the density of the projecting surface features is sufficiently low so as to not significantly affect the transmission of the light beam through the polishing surface. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the projecting surface features include alumina. 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the projecting surface features include cerium oxide. 8. The method of claim 5, further comprising driving the polishing surface of the polishing sheet in a generally linear direction. 9. A substrate polishing apparatus, comprising: a polishing head to hold a substrate; a platen having an aperture therethrough; a polishing sheet extending between the polishing head and the platen, the polishing sheet formed from material that is substantially opaque and including a discrete region extending substantially the length of the polishing sheet that is at least semi-transparent; a drive mechanism to drive the polishing sheet in a generally linearly direction; and a monitoring system including a light source to generate a light beam that passes through the aperture and the discrete region of the polishing sheet and a detector to detect light reflected from the substrate. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the polishing sheet includes a plurality of projecting surface features. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the discrete region lacks the projecting surface features. 12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a density of the projecting surface features is lower in the discrete region. 13. A substrate polishing method, comprising: driving a polishing sheet in a generally linear direction, the polishing sheet formed from material that is substantially opaque and including a discrete region extending substantially the length of the polishing sheet that is at least semi-transparent; supporting the polishing sheet with a platen that includes an aperture therethrough; holding a substrate against the polishing surface of the polishing sheet; directing a light beam through the aperture and the discrete region of the polishing sheet; detecting light reflected from the substrate. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the polishing sheet includes a plurality of projecting surface features. 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the discrete region lacks the projecting surface features. 16. The method of claim 13, wherein a density of the projecting surface features is lower in the discrete region.