What is Heart Valve Surgery?
Heart valve replacement or repair surgery is used to treat heart valve disease. This disease occurs when at least one of the four heart valves is not working properly, keeping blood from properly flowing through the heart. Each valve has flaps that open and close during one heartbeat. Flaps that are malfunctioning keep blood from flowing properly. Heart valve surgery aims to replace or repair these damaged or diseased heart valves.
Causes for a Heart Valve Surgery
A heart valve repair or replacement surgery is done to repair damage caused by different types of heart disease. Stenosis is the narrowing of a valve, which can block or slow down proper blood flow. Regurgitation is a leak in the valve that causes blood to flow backwards into the heart, instead of out to the rest of the body. Both can cause complications with heart valves.
For some people, they do not experience symptoms of heart valve disease, so your provider may recommend regular checkups to monitor the condition of the heart and if you start to develop symptoms. If your heart valve disease is actively preventing blood from properly flowing, treatment is needed.
Risk Factors of Heart Valve Surgery
As with any procedure, heart valve replacement or repairs have certain risks associated with it. These risks can include:
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Irregular heart rhythms
- Problems or malfunctions with a replacement valve
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Death
Preparing for Heart Valve Surgery
If you and your provider determine that heart valve surgery is the right treatment for you, there are certain things you should do to prepare for your surgery. Talk to your provider about any medications you take as you may need to stop them prior to surgery. Your provider will inform you regarding pre-operation instructions.
What to Expect During Heart Valve Surgery
During the procedure, you will be put to sleep via an anesthetic. Then, you are connected to a heart-lung bypass machine to keep blood moving through your body during the surgery.
Heart valve surgery can be done using standard open-heart surgery, which involves making an incision through the middle of the chest to reach the heart. Another approach is minimally invasive, which involves much smaller incisions to reach the heart. Minimally invasive heart surgery makes for a shorter hospital stay, quicker recovery, less risk of infection, among other benefits.
Heart Valve Repair
A heart valve repair is the most used form of surgery when possible. This surgery saves the heart valve and avoids the need of a replacement valve, which also prevents complications. During a heart valve repair, your surgeon may:
- Patch holes in the valve
- Reconstruct valve flaps
- Remove excess tissue to allow the flaps to close tightly
- Replace or remove pieces of diseased tissue
- Separate fused valve flaps
- Tighten or reinforce the ring around the valve
In a less invasive approach, a long thin tube, called a catheter, is used to insert a balloon into the valve. The catheter is placed into an artery in the arm or groin and guided to the diseased or damaged valve. Then, the balloon is inflated, which widens the opening of the valve. The balloon is then deflated, leaving the valve more open and able to pass blood through.
Heart Valve Replacement
If your provider determines that your heart valves are not able to be repaired, they may need to fully replace the valve. In a heart valve replacement, the heart valve is removed and replaced with a mechanical valve or valve made from cow, pig, or human heart tissue, called biological tissue valves. Biological valves often need to be replaced after a period, as they tend to wear out over time.
A catheter can also be used to replace certain heart valves. This may be used to replace a biological valve in the heart that is no longer working properly. Your provider will discuss with you the risks and benefits of each kind of heart surgery and type of replacement valve.
What to Expect after a Heart Surgery
Following heart valve surgery, you will most likely spend several days in the hospital to monitor your condition and watch for signs of infection. They will also check your blood pressure, breathing and heart rate. You will be asked to cough and do breathing exercises as you recover.
After surgery care will be important in your recovery and preventing complications. Your provider will provide you with instructions on when you can return to normal activities.