What is Heart Valve Repair/Replacement Surgery?
There are 4 valves in your heart which act like doors to control the blood flow between the different parts of the heart. Valve problems can occur due to congenital abnormalities (present at birth), or they can develop later in life as a result of infections and degeneration. The affected valves can be repaired or replaced through heart valve surgery.
Valve repair involves fixing as much of the damaged valve as possible without the use of artificial parts. If all efforts to repair the valve fail, the surgeon will replace the valve during the same procedure.
The valve can be replaced using artificial valves (made of plastic or metal), bioprosthetic valves (made of biological material from animal tissue), or an allograft valve (human valve tissue).
During heart valve surgery, a cut down the middle of the chest is made and the breastbone is separated. The surgeon will assess whether this procedure or a less invasive keyhole surgery (which involves smaller cuts made) is more suitable.
Why do You Need Heart Valve Repair/Replacement Surgery?
Heart valve repair/replacement surgery is used to treat patients with valvular heart diseases. Your doctor will evaluate the condition of your heart valves, and the decision on the need for heart valve surgery will be based on your symptoms and test results. The repair of the aortic valve (the valve between the aorta and the left ventricle) is very important if it is narrowed or leaking. Abnormal functioning of the aortic valve can lead to heart failure due to poor blood supply to the heart muscle.
If the damaged valve is successfully repaired through surgery, you will benefit from decreased risk of infection, reduced need of blood thinners, decreased risk of stroke, conserved strength of your heart muscle, and most importantly, increased chance of long-term survival. If damaged valves are not repaired, heart disease or even death may occur.