When is valve replacement necessary?

Valve replacement is needed when a heart valve is too damaged to be repaired, due to conditions like severe stenosis or regurgitation. It can be done surgically or through catheter-based procedures like TAVR.

What are the types of replacement valves?

There are two main types: mechanical valves (durable but require lifelong anticoagulation) and bioprosthetic valves (made from animal tissue and don’t require long-term blood thinners).

What factors affect the choice of valve?

Age, lifestyle, risk of bleeding, other health conditions, and patient preference all play a role in choosing between mechanical and tissue valves.

What is recovery like after valve replacement?

Recovery may involve a hospital stay of 3–7 days, with full recovery in 6–12 weeks depending on the procedure. Cardiac rehab and close follow-up are essential for long-term success.

Heart Valve Replacement

Understanding Heart Valve Surgery and Its Benefits

What is Valve Replacement?

Heart valve replacement is a surgical procedure used to replace a damaged or malfunctioning heart valve with an artificial or biological valve. This surgery is performed when a valve becomes narrowed (stenosis) or leaks (regurgitation), affecting normal blood flow.

Valve replacement significantly improves heart function, reduces symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue, and lowers the risk of heart failure.

When is Valve Replacement Needed?

Heart valve replacement is necessary for individuals experiencing:

Severe Aortic Stenosis: Narrowing of the aortic valve restricting blood flow.
Mitral Valve Regurgitation: A leaking valve causing blood to flow backward.
Congenital Heart Defects: Birth-related valve abnormalities.
Infective Endocarditis: Severe infection damaging the heart valves.
Rheumatic Heart Disease: Long-term damage from rheumatic fever affecting valve function.

Types of Valve Replacement

There are different types of valve replacement procedures based on the patient's condition and the type of valve used:

Mechanical Valve Replacement: Durable artificial valves made from metal or carbon, requiring lifelong blood thinners.
Biological Valve Replacement: Valves made from human, cow, or pig tissue that do not require blood thinners but may need future replacement.
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR): A minimally invasive option for high-risk patients with aortic stenosis.
Mitral Valve Repair and Replacement: Surgical techniques to repair or replace a defective mitral valve.

The Valve Replacement Procedure

The procedure typically follows these steps:

Anesthesia: The patient is placed under general anesthesia.
Heart Access: An incision is made in the chest to access the heart.
Valve Removal: The damaged valve is removed.
New Valve Placement: The artificial or biological valve is positioned and secured.
Heart Function Check: The heart is tested for normal function before closing the chest.