Valve repair
Key points
- Heart valve surgery is used to repair or replace diseased heart valves.
- The valves are designed to control the direction of blood flow through the heart.
- Valve problems may be caused by infections such as rheumatic fever, birth defects, calcification, or certain medications such as Fen-Phen.
- Precautions for preventing valve infections are of prime importance, and antibiotics may be prescribed indefinitely or before dental work and other invasive procedures.
Alternative names
Valve replacement; Heart valve surgery; Heart valve prosthesis
Definition
Heart valve surgery is used to repair or replace diseased heart valves.
Description
There are four valves in the heart:
1. Aortic valve
2. Mitral valve
3. Tricuspid valve
4. Pulmonary valve
The valves are designed to control the direction of blood flow through the heart. The opening and closing of the heart valves produce the sound of the heartbeat.
Heart valve surgery is open-heart surgery that is done while the patient is under general anesthesia. An incision is made through the breast bone (sternum). Tubes are used to re-route the blood away from the heart to a heart-lung bypass machine to keep the blood oxygenated and circulating while the heart is being operated on.
Valves may be repaired or replaced. Replacement heart valves are either natural (biologic) or artificial (mechanical):
- Natural valves are from human donors (cadavers).
- Modified natural valves come from animal donors (porcine valves are from pigs, bovine are from cows) and are placed in synthetic rings.
- Artificial valves are made of metal.
Natural valves rarely require life-long medication to prevent blood clot formation (anticoagulation), whereas artificial valves will require anticoagulation.
Indications
Heart valve replacement may be recommended for the following conditions:
- Narrowing of the heart valve (stenosis)
- Leaking of the heart valve (regurgitation)
Valve problems may be caused by infections such as rheumatic fever, birth defects, calcification, or certain medications such as Fen-Phen. Defective valves may cause heart failure (congestive heart failure) and infections (infective endocarditis).
RISKS
Risks for any anesthesia include the following:
- Reactions to medications
- Problems breathing
Risks for any surgery include the following:
- Bleeding
- Infection
Written and revised by
Gerald Hurowitz, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
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