Aortic Valve

Aortic Valve Replacement

Blood flow can be impeded by a defective or damaged aortic valve, which makes the heart work harder to pump blood to the rest of the body. Aortic valve replacement or repair can increase blood flow, lessen heart valve disease symptoms, and lengthen life. If the aortic valve in your heart is malfunctioning, you might require this surgery. The main artery in your body, the aorta, receives blood from your heart when this valve opens, then it travels to the rest of your body. Aortic valve closure prevents blood from returning the wrong way to the heart. Every time the heart beats, this cycle continues.

Aortic valve replacement can be carried out in either traditional open heart surgery, which requires a cut in the chest or using minimally invasive techniques, which entail tiny incisions in the chest or the insertion of a catheter in the leg or chest.

What Is an Aortic Valve Disease?

The aortic valve is a type of heart valve disease. The valve between the lower left heart chamber (left ventricle) and the main artery to the body (aorta) does not function properly in aortic valve disease. The aortic valve keeps blood flowing through the heart in the right direction.

Aortic valve replacement is recommended is for patients who have:

Congenital heart disease: Congenital heart disease refers to one or more structural problems with the heart that have existed since birth. Congenital means that you were born with the disorder. Adults and children with congenital heart disease can experience changes in the way blood flows through the heart.
Aortic valve stenosis: When calcium deposits on the valve leaflets, further reducing their mobility, aortic valve stenosis advances.
Aortic valve regurgitation: The term “leaky valve” and “valvular insufficiency” are also used to describe aortic valve regurgitation. The valve leaflets do not entirely close. Once the heart stops contracting and relaxes, regurgitation occurs, causing the blood that was just evacuated by the heart to flow back into the heart right away.

Procedure

How Aortic Valve Replacement Surgery is Performed?

General anaesthesia is used during an aortic valve replacement surgery. As a result, you won’t experience any pain as the procedure is being done while you’re asleep. Throughout the process:

Your heart is stopped and a heart-lung (bypass) machine is used to take over the function of your heart during the procedure.
A large cut (incision) about 25 cm long is made in your chest to access your heart. Although occasionally a smaller cut may be made, the damaged or faulty valve is removed and replaced with the new one.
Your heart is restarted and the opening in your chest is closed. Typically, the procedure takes a few hours.

After an aortic valve replacement, you’ll typically need to stay in the hospital for about a week, but it could take you two to three months to fully recover.

When you initially go home, you should take it easy, but over the next few weeks, you should begin to gradually resume your regular activities.

How Do I Select a Hospital for Aortic Valve Replacement Care?

Best Cardiac Hospitals that treat aortic valve replacement patients are renowned for their warmth and attentiveness to their needs. For an international patient, selecting a good hospital for treatment might be challenging. It is a crucial choice that needs to be made while keeping a number of things in mind, such as:

Accreditations and certifications for excellence
Location of the hospital and the transit hub
The medical and surgical team
Modern diagnostic and treatment tools
Overseas medical help

The Most Important Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What Is the Severity of an Aortic Valve Replacement?

A: Aortic valve replacement is fraught with complications, some of which can be fatal. One in every 50 people who have this type of surgery dies as a result of complications during or shortly after the procedure.

Q: Is Aortic Valve Replacement a Major Surgical Procedure?

A: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a minimally invasive procedure used to replace an aortic valve that has narrowed and is unable to open properly (aortic valve stenosis). Surgeons insert a catheter into the leg or chest and guide it to the heart during this procedure.

Q: Can I Walk After Having an Aortic Valve Replaced?

A: The majority of patients report feeling better and stronger every day. Patients who have undergone MIVS are typically able to walk sooner than those who have undergone traditional open-heart surgery. The day after surgery, you will be encouraged to sit up and walk.

Q: How Long Do You Expect to Be in the Hospital for an Aortic Valve Replacement?

A: After an aortic valve replacement, you should expect to be in the hospital for about a week. The amount of time it takes to fully recover depends on factors such as your age and overall health. Your breastbone will usually heal in 6 to 8 weeks, but it may take 2 to 3 months to feel like yourself again.

Q: Which Heart Valve Is the Simplest to Replace?

A: The aortic valve is one of the four valves in the heart. The valves allow blood to flow normally through the four chambers of the heart and out to the body. The procedure is referred to as “minimally invasive” because it involves a smaller incision than a traditional open repair. This could make recovery from surgery easier and faster.