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An intravascular valve component broadly includes a valve case and a flexible pressure-actuated flow control valve. The valve case includes attached proximal and distal case portions that present respective spaced apart fluid ports and a fluid passageway extending between the ports. The flexible pre

An intravascular valve component broadly includes a valve case and a flexible pressure-actuated flow control valve. The valve case includes attached proximal and distal case portions that present respective spaced apart fluid ports and a fluid passageway extending between the ports. The flexible pressure-actuated flow control valve is disposed within the fluid passageway and includes a slitted central valve wall and an annular flange surrounding the central valve wall. The annular flange includes a radially-extending flange wall and a projection extending axially from the flange wall, with the projection engaging one of the case portions to restrict radial movement of the flow control valve relative to the valve case.

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1. An intravascular valve component comprising: a valve case including attached proximal and distal case portions,said case portions presenting respective spaced apart fluid ports and a fluid passageway extending between the ports; anda flexible pressure-actuated flow control valve disposed along th

1. An intravascular valve component comprising: a valve case including attached proximal and distal case portions,said case portions presenting respective spaced apart fluid ports and a fluid passageway extending between the ports; anda flexible pressure-actuated flow control valve disposed along the fluid passageway to control fluid flow therethrough,said valve including a generally arcuate-shaped central valve wall having an upper end, a lower end, a slit generally at said upper end, and a flange surrounding the central valve wall at said lower end,said flange including an outermost edge and a valve-seating projection extending axially from the flange and spaced outwardly from said valve wall and between said outermost edge and the valve wall to permit said slit to flex between open infusion and aspiration configurations,said flange being engagingly received between the attached case portions,one of said case portions including a groove,wherein said groove and said projection are shaped such that the projection is received within the groove when the flange is uncompressed between the attached case portions,wherein said projection engages the groove to substantially restrict radial movement of the flow control valve relative to the valve case and to coaxially align the valve with the one of said case portions presenting said groove to thereby position the valve wall concentrically within the fluid passageway. 2. The intravascular valve component as claimed in claim 1, said case portions presenting respective generally planar proximal and distal flange-receiving surfaces opposed to one another,said flange presenting generally planar proximal and distal surfaces respectively received between said proximal and distal flange-receiving surfaces of said case portions, such that said proximal and distal surfaces of said flange respectively contact a majority of an area of said proximal and distal flange-receiving surfaces to compress the flange of the flow control valve therebetween. 3. The intravascular valve component as claimed in claim 2, said flange comprising an endless annular wall presenting said radially outermost edge,said case portions cooperatively presenting a valve chamber that receives the annular flange,said valve chamber being partly defined by a radially outermost internal surface extending axially between the opposed flange-receiving surfaces and presenting an outermost chamber diameter dimension,said radially outermost edge having an axially-extending thickness and an uncompressed flange diameter dimension,wherein said uncompressed flange diameter dimension along said edge is less than the outermost chamber diameter dimension, such that the valve chamber permits radial expansion of the flange as the flange is compressed between the flange-receiving surfaces. 4. The intravascular valve component as claimed in claim 2, said valve wall presenting proximal and distal valve surfaces, said slit being normally closed and extending between the proximal and distal valve surfaces,said valve wall flexing to open the slit in response to an infusion fluid pressure differential across the wall, wherein the pressure against the proximal valve surface is greater than the pressure against the distal valve surface,said valve wall flexing to open the slit in response to an aspiration fluid pressure differential across the wall, wherein the pressure against the distal valve surface is greater than the pressure against the proximal valve surface. 5. The intravascular valve component as claimed in claim 4, said valve wall comprising a concavo-convex wall that projects distally from the flange, with the proximal valve surface being concave and the distal valve surface being convex,said projection extending distally from the flange. 6. The intravascular valve component as claimed in claim 5, wherein the valve wall is generally hemispherical in shape. 7. The intravascular valve component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flange is annular and radially extends from the lower end of the valve wall. 8. The intravascular valve component as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve wall has a lowermost edge at the lower end, and the flange surrounds the lowermost edge. 9. The intravascular valve component as claimed in claim 8, said groove being endless, andsaid projection being endless, such that projection circumscribes the lowermost edge of the valve wall. 10. The intravascular valve component as claimed in claim 1, wherein said groove of the one of said case portions has an inner surface that is generally arcuate. 11. The intravascular valve component as claimed in claim 1, wherein said projection has an outer surface, and the inner surface of the groove and the outer surface of the projection are complementally shaped such that the outer surface of the projection contacts the inner surface of the groove at a plurality of locations. 12. The intravascular valve component as claimed in claim 1, wherein said projection is a first projection, and said groove is a first groove,said flange further including a second valve-seating projection extending axially from the flange and spaced outwardly from said valve wall and between said outermost edge of the flange and the valve wall,one of said case portions including a second groove,wherein said second groove and said second projection are shaped such that the second projection is received within the second groove and engages the second groove. 13. A method of seating a valve in an intravascular valve component comprising the steps of: providing said intravascular valve component including a valve case including attached proximal and distal case portions, wherein one of said case portions includes a groove,said case portions presenting respective spaced apart fluid ports and a fluid passageway extending between the ports when said case portions are coupled together, andsaid valve, wherein said valve is a flexible pressure-actuated flow control valve for positioning along the fluid passageway to control fluid flow therethrough,said valve including a generally arcuate-shaped central valve wall having an upper end, a lower end, a slit generally at said upper end, and a flange surrounding the central valve wall at said lower end,said flange including an outermost edge and a valve-seating projection extending axially from the flange and spaced outwardly from said valve wall and between said outermost edge and the valve wall to permit said slit to flex between open infusion and aspiration configurations;positioning the flange against at least one flange-receiving surface of at least one of said case portions;interfitting said projection with said groove so as to engage said projection in said groove when the flange is uncompressed between the attached case portions and to thereby substantially restrict radial movement of the flow control valve relative to the valve case and to coaxially align the valve with the one of said case portions presenting said groove to thereby position the valve wall concentrically within the fluid passageway; andattaching said case portions to thereby engagingly receive said flange between the attached case portions. 14. The method of seating a valve as claimed in claim 13, wherein both of said case portions present respective generally planar proximal and distal flange-receiving surfaces opposed to one another,said flange presenting generally planar proximal and distal surfaces respectively received between said proximal and distal flange-receiving surfaces of said case portions upon attaching said case portions, such that said proximal and distal surfaces of said flange respectively contact a majority of an area of said proximal and distal flange-receiving surfaces to compress the flange of the flow control valve therebetween. 15. The method of seating a valve as claimed in claim 14, wherein upon attaching said case portions, the flange is in a compressed state so as to firmly hold the valve within the intravascular valve component. 16. The method of seating a valve as claimed in claim 15, wherein a thickness of the flange is axially compressed from an uncompressed state to the compressed state by an amount that ranges from about 0.003 inches to about 0.0008 inches. 17. The method of seating a valve as claimed in claim 13, wherein upon attaching said case portions and during use of said valve component to effect said infusion and aspiration, inadvertent or premature opening of the slit of the valve is restricted. 18. The method of seating a valve as claimed in claim 13, said groove being endless, andsaid projection being endless, such that projection circumscribes the lowermost edge of the valve wall. 19. The method of seating a valve as claimed in claim 13, wherein said projection has an outer surface, and the inner surface of the groove and the outer surface of the projection are complementally shaped such that the outer surface of the projection contacts the inner surface of the groove at a plurality of locations. 20. The method of seating a valve as claimed in claim 13, wherein said projection is a first projection, and said groove is a first groove,said flange further including a second valve-seating projection extending axially from the flange and spaced outwardly from said valve wall and between said outermost edge of the flange and the valve wall,one of said case portions including a second groove,wherein said second groove and said second projection are shaped such that the second projection is received within the second groove and engages the second groove.