Valvular Heart Surgery
(Heart Valve Repair/Replacement Surgery)
Valvular heart surgery/ heart valve surgery is a procedure that involves replacing a damaged valve with a new one (made from synthetic materials or animal tissue) or repairing the existing valve if it does not have significant damage.
A little background
Your heart contains four valves, which ensure that when the chambers of the heart contract, the blood flows in the right direction. These valves can be damaged, for example, by a heart attack or illness; heart valves also be abnormal from birth. A defective valve can affect the flow of blood through the heart.
Hence, heart valve surgery is recommended when a patient has been diagnosed with a damaged valve in their heart. This surgery carries a good success rate for severe valve disease and is a treatment of choice.
There are two types of valvular surgeries:
1)Valve replacement
2)Vale repair
During the surgery, a heart-lung bypass machine is used to circulate blood around the body whilst the surgeon is operating on your heart. The heart valvular surgery is usually done under general anaesthesia and takes 2-6 hours. You may have to stay at the hospital for 6-8 days after the surgery.
Having heart valve surgery should help improve the quality of your life by reducing symptoms due to valve problems. It will also reduce the risk of your heart failure from developing further and increase your life expectancy.
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