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The Bicer Valve represents a groundbreaking milestone in the evolution of cardiovascular medicine. Developed in response to the growing need for durable, efficient, and patient-friendly heart valve replacements, the Bicer Valve has redefined how surgeons approach valve repair and replacement.
The journey toward the Bicer Valve began in 1979, during a time when options for patients with valve disease were limited. Early mechanical valves and bioprosthetic designs were innovative but often came with significant limitations, such as durability issues or the need for lifelong anticoagulant therapy.
Inspired by the challenges of existing solutions, Demetrio Bicer envisioned a heart valve replacement that combined the durability of mechanical valves with the biocompatibility and natural function of biological valves. The result of years of research, engineering, and clinical trials was the Bicer Valve.
Since its introduction, the Bicer Valve has improved the lives of countless patients suffering from valve disease. Its advanced design has led to fewer complications, reduced need for reoperations, and a better quality of life for recipients.
Demetrio Bicer, Founder
Demetrio Bicer was a brilliant mechanical engineer and inventor from Argentina, best known for his groundbreaking work in developing a mechanical valve that revolutionized fluid dynamics and industrial engineering.
Demetrio Bicer, Founder
Demetrio Bicer was a brilliant mechanical engineer and inventor from Argentina, best known for his groundbreaking work in developing a mechanical valve that revolutionized fluid dynamics and industrial engineering.
Demetrio Bicer, Founder
Demetrio Bicer was a brilliant mechanical engineer and inventor from Argentina, best known for his groundbreaking work in developing a mechanical valve that revolutionized fluid dynamics and industrial engineering.
In the early 1970s, Demetrio Bicer began working closely with Dr. René Favaloro, the pioneering Argentine cardiac surgeon whose innovations transformed cardiovascular medicine around the world. During this period, surgeons were encountering challenges with existing mechanical heart valve prostheses. Dr. Favaloro, always searching for better solutions for his patients, recognized Demetrio's talent as an inventor and engineer and invited him to help address these problems.
What began as a professional collaboration grew into a lasting friendship. Together, they shared a commitment to improving patient outcomes through innovation and thoughtful design. Their work and discussions helped inspire Demetrio's lifelong dedication to the development of advanced heart valve prostheses and cardiovascular technologies. The photographs preserved from this period capture not only a working relationship between a surgeon and an inventor, but also a friendship built on mutual respect, curiosity, and a shared desire to advance medical science.
The story of Demetrio Bicer's journey from manufacturing surgical instruments in 1965 to developing heart valve technologies that improved the lives of thousands of patients around the world.
Demetrio Bicer founds Bicer Instrumental S.R.L. in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The company specializes in the manufacture and distribution of surgical instruments and medical equipment for hospitals, clinics, and surgeons. Among its products are chest spreaders, retractors, and other precision instruments used in operating rooms throughout Argentina and beyond.
Through Bicer Instrumental, Demetrio works closely with surgeons and healthcare professionals, gaining firsthand knowledge of the challenges they face in the operating room. His reputation for innovation, precision manufacturing, and problem-solving leads to collaborations with leading physicians and medical institutions.
Demetrio began collaborating more closely with the renowned cardiac surgeon in the late 1970s. Conversations about the limitations and mechanical failures of existing heart valve prostheses inspired a new direction in cardiovascular innovation and led to the development of the Bicer Heart Valve.
Development and manufacturing of the Bicer Heart Valve begins in Argentina. As the company transitions from surgical instruments to cardiovascular innovation, Bicer Instrumental S.R.L. is renamed Bicer-Val®. The new venture brings together engineering, medicine, and surgical expertise to develop improved heart valve prostheses for patients around the world.
The Bicer heart valve is successfully implanted in patients and gains acceptance among cardiac surgeons. Over the following years, thousands of patients throughout South America, Asia, and parts of Europe receive the valve, making it one of the few cardiovascular technologies developed in Argentina to achieve international clinical use.
Demetrio continues refining heart valve technology, leading to additional patents and advancements in prosthetic valve design, blood flow dynamics, and implantation techniques.
Receives a U.S. patent for the Central Opening Curved Bileaflet Heart Valve Prosthesis, a design focused on improving hemodynamics and reducing complications associated with traditional mechanical valves.
Demetrio Bicer is awarded a U.S. patent for a Valve Holder system designed to assist surgeons in the positioning and implantation of heart valve prostheses. The invention reflects his continued commitment to improving not only the valve itself, but also the surgical techniques and tools used to implant it.