Introduction
Heart valve surgery is the procedure for replacing or repairing the misfunctioning heart valve. When the heart valves such as a mitral valve, aortic valve, tricuspid valve or pulmonary valve don't function properly, it can cause a severe problem of reducing the blood flow through the heart. Each mitral and tricuspid in the heart has flaps called ‘leaflets’ and ‘cusps’ for the pulmonary and aortic valves. During each heartbeat these flaps open and close. When these valves do not close and open at the appropriate time, it disrupts the blood flow to the body. Valve replacement surgery replaces the affected heart valve. Based on the condition, minimally invasive heart surgery or open-heart surgery is performed.
Valve replacement treatments depends on several factors such as age, health, as well as the condition of the affected heart valve. Open-heart surgery is a major operation which could last for more than 2 hours. Recovery from the open-heart surgery for valve replacement could take weeks.
Types of valve replacement surgery:
Valvuloplasty – Valvuloplasty surgery or balloon valvuloplasty involves the procedure for repairing the heart valve that has narrowed down. When valve flaps (leaflets) is thick, it may cause them to stick together (stenosis) which causes the value to become narrow, resulting in reduced blood flow.
Annuloplasty – Annuloplasty is the procedure for reinforcing or tightening the ring present around a valve in the heart. Annuloplasty is performed for repairing the heart value. Annuloplasty will be done as minimally invasive heart surgery or open-heart surgery. This procedure is performed to reshape or tighten the ring around heart the valve.
