Heart valve repair surgery is performed when patients are experiencing valve stenosis (difficulty in valve opening) or valve insufficiency (valve not closing completely and leaking), which causes the heart to work harder to pump blood to the body.
Heart valve repair surgery is performed whenever it is possible to save the patient's own valve. During surgery, the patient's chest is opened up and they are attached to the heart-lung machine (cardiopulmonary bypass). This machine pumps blood to the rest of the body while the heart is stopped and the valve is being repaired.
During the heart valve repair itself, the surgeon reconstructs the patient's existing valve so that it opens and closes properly and functions like a healthy valve.
Heart valve repairs/replacements
Heart valve replacement surgery is performed when patients are experiencing valve stenosis (difficulty in valve opening) or valve insufficiency (valve not closing completely and leaking) and their own valve cannot be repaired.
Replacement valves can either be mechanical or tissue. The surgeon and the patient will discuss the various options for heart valve replacements and they will together decide which type is best for the patient. Once the heart valve replacement surgery is performed, the replacement valve will function like a healthy valve.
Minimally invasive valve repairs/replacements
Beaumont performs minimally invasive heart valve repairs that provide the following advantages:
- very small incisions
- least invasive approach to entire procedure'
- limit potential complications
- promotes faster recovery