Heart Valve Replacement

What is Heart Valve Replacement?

Heart Valve Replacement assigns to the process of replacing heart valves that have narrowed and hinders the blood flow in & out of the heart with the artificial valve by sewing it to the natural valve. There are four types of heart valves- Tricuspid Valve, Pulmonary Valve, Mitral Valve, Aortic Valves.

Types of Heart Valve Replacement

Open-heart valve replacement surgery

It is a surgical method wherein the patient’s heart is uncovered in the operation theatre and surgery is observed on the internal design of the heart. During the surgery, the patient is placed on a heart-lung machine that permits blood to flow through the heart while the surgery is being performed.

Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery

Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery, also known as Keyhole surgery, is operated by making small incisions of about 3 to 4 inches in the heart muscle, through specialized surgical equipment. In most cases, minimally invasive heart surgery focuses on Mitral valve repair, Aortic valve repair and Tricuspid valve repair.

Valvuloplasty

It is a procedure wherein the stiff aortic valves are treated with the support of a balloon catheter. The balloon is positioned in the aortic valve and subsequently magnified to enlarge the size of the valve, leading to improved blood flow.

Types of Valves Used in Replacement

Mechanical Valves

A mechanical valve or prosthetic assign to the artificial substitute of the native heart valve. Like your native heart valve, the mechanical valve too has a ring to assistance the leaflets.

Homografts or Allografts

When a valve is access from the body of a donor, it is known as homograft or allograft. This type of valve is helpful for children’s and pregnant women as it does not reduction long-term anticoagulation therapy.

Procedure of Valve Replacement Surgery

During an Aortic valve replacement surgery, an incision is made by cutting over the sternum. It is also known as median sternotomy. Following the incision being made, the pericardium is opened and finally the patient is placed on a cardiopulmonary bypass machine (heart-lung machine). The machine support in pumping over the heart while the surgeon recover the heart valve. Once the patient is on bypass, an incision is made in the aorta and a cross clamp is tested. Thereafter the surgeon separate the diseased aortic valve and replaces it with the mechanical one. Once the valve is in position and the aorta has been closed, the patient is taken off from the cardiopulmonary bypass machine. Later, Transesophageal echocardiogram is done to approve whether the new valve is functioning properly or not.

Benefits of Heart Valve Surgery

Injured heart valves purpose a multitude of symptoms such as breathing complication, chest pain, and edema and heart palpitations. Post Heart Valve surgery, you get relieve of all these problems.