Heart Valve Surgery
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There are four valves in the heart: aortic, mitral, tricuspid and pulmonic. These valves work like doors, they open and close to allow blood to move forward through the heart and body.
The clinical terms for two of the most common valve problems are regurgitation and stenosis. Regurgitation is when the valve does not close completely, and blood begins to leak backwards. Stenosis occurs when the valve becomes narrow and restricts the forward motion of blood through the valve.
There are different reasons for heart valves to become compromised. Some causes include rheumatic heart disease, infection, or a congenital defect (present at birth). In addition, valves can become thickened with calcium deposits with aging.
Treatment Options
Patients diagnosed with a heart valve problem will be guided by a team of experts, including a cardiac surgeon, cardiologist, advanced practice providers and registered nurses to determine the best treatment options. Heart valve surgery refers to the repair or replacement of a heart valve that is not working properly. This surgery can be performed with traditional open-heart surgery or by using a minimally invasive technique. The surgical method used depends on the type of valve problem, the severity of the valve disease and a patient’s overall health.
Heart valve surgery is performed in a state-of-the-art operating room under general anesthesia. The surgeon will open the chest through an incision either in the breastbone or the side of the chest and patients are supported with a heart-lung machine during surgery. Following the surgery, patients are monitored in a Coronary Intensive Care Unit and then cardiac step-down unit through hospital discharge.
Minimally invasive surgery does not require opening the chest and does not require the heart lung machine. This type of surgery is performed in the operating room under general anesthesia.