Is a heart valve replacement major surgery?
Heart valve surgery is open-heart surgery through the breastbone, into the chest. It is a major operation that can last two hours or longer and recovery often takes several weeks. There are newer, less invasive procedures suitable for some types of valvular heart disease, but they are only done at certain hospitals.
What kind of valve replacement do you need?
Pulmonary and tricuspid valve replacements are fairly uncommon in adults. The most common valve surgical procedure is aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis, or narrowing of the aortic valve. Mitral stenosis is another condition that sometimes requires a valve replacement procedure.
How do you replace a valve on a water pipe?
If your old valve is threaded, or screws directly onto the pipe, you can simply twist it off and replace it with a new valve. Other valves are secured to the pipe with a compression nut, which you can loosen and replace with a new compression fitting.
Where do you go for heart valve replacement?
For each surgery in which the valve must be replaced, careful considerations should be given to durability of the valve, medication options and risks. If you need a valve procedure, heart valve centers of excellence are recommended. The centers are located throughout the country and must meet very high standards of care.
What are the risks of replacing a valve?
The ideal replacement valve also offers long-term durability without significantly increasing the risk of dangerous blood clots or bleeds. Blood thinner medications can lower your risks of a clot-related stroke or embolism (traveling clot). Clot-risks are higher for people with mechanical valves.
What happens after a heart valve replacement?
AFTER THE SURGICAL HEART VALVE REPLACEMENT PROCEDURE. When your heart valve has been replaced and the surgery is completed, your heart will be beating on its own and all incisions will be sewn or stapled closed.
How much does it cost to replace heart valve surgery?
The costs, according to our research, will depend on where you live, the surgeon and the hospital. Placidway.com, for example, states that heart valve replacement or repair in the United States generally costs an average of $25,000 per valve.
How do you replace a mechanical aortic valve?
Aortic valve repair and aortic valve replacement may be performed through traditional open-heart surgery, which involves a cut (incision) in the chest, or through minimally invasive methods that involve smaller incisions in the chest or a catheter inserted in the leg or chest (transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR).
Can heart valves be fixed?
Heart valve replacement: If your heart valve can’t be repaired, your surgeon will replace it with a mechanical or biological valve. Damaged heart valves can be fixed using valve repair, keeping most of the valve tissue, or if that is not possible they can be replaced with mechanical or biological valves.