Aortic Valve Replacement Surgery: Types and Procedure

1. Aortic Valve Replacement Surgery: Types and Procedure Aortic Valve is one of the four valves of the heart that work in unison to regulate blood flow into the heart and also serves as a separator between the heart’s main pumping chamber and the main artery. In patients who suffer from Aortic Valve Replacement surgery, expert and immediate care are recommended for the heart to keep functioning properly. Although the treatments for Aortic Valve Replacement are dependent on the severity of the patient, the primary aim is to stagnate or stop the damage after a thorough study of the factors for an aortic valve repair. After a thorough diagnosis, the concerned surgeon would also discuss the impact and procedures with the patient in order to make sure that not only the surgery but also the type of valve being used to replace the damaged one with, all-together leads to a rewarding experience. The types of diseases that would require Aortic Valve Replacement Surgery include: •Regurgitation: In case of a leakage in the valve the blood may sometimes tend to flow backwards than its normal course, this condition is referred to as Aortic Valve Regurgitation.

2. •Stenosis: This condition is characterized by thickening or fusing of the aortic valve which restricts the flow of blood into the aorta. The causes for Stenosis which can lead to requiring a Cardiovascular Surgery in India are Congenital Diseases, a condition where the flaps in the valves thicken, or post-inflammatory changes. •Congenital Heart Diseases: This condition can severely lead to a Regurgitation or Stenosis. These defects mostly arise out of abnormalities in the structure / shape of the aortic valves since birth thus becoming a prolonged hindrance to the normal flow of blood. Aortic Valve Replacement Surgery Procedure The procedure, as followed by the Best Heart Hospital in India, would begin with a doctor replacing the damaged valve with one made out of cow, human, or pig valves or can even be made mechanically. In cases where the valve is replaced by a mechanical valve, the patient will be prescribed to life-long medication for blood-thinning. As done during open-heart surgery, the doctor will explain to you the benefits and risk factors for an Aortic Valve Repair before along with the type of valves. This surgery can either be performed like open-heart surgery or through the use of minimally invasive techniques. TAVI or commonly known as Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement is a procedure that uses non-surgical methodologies. Although minimally invasive techniques are becoming increasingly common and popular across the world, the application of that in case of Aortic Valve Replacement Surgery is still debatable as the level of efficacy achieved through open-heart surgery is still far higher than that of smaller-incision based surgery. Traditional approaches give the surgeon more freedom and precision to operate as a valve replacement can be a complicated, comprehensive procedure.