Heart valve surgery - series—Normal anatomy: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (2024)

FAQs

Is heart valve surgery a big operation? ›

An aortic valve replacement is a big operation and, like any type of surgery, carries a risk of complications. Some of the main risks of an aortic valve replacement include: wound, lung, bladder or heart valve infections.

The tricuspid valve is even more challenging: a leaking tricuspid valve is hard to treat both with surgery and with percutaneous treatments. In terms of recovery, open heart surgery will generally mean a one-week stay in hospital and four-to-six weeks of recovery at home.

This data suggests that a 42-year-old patient undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) with a tissue valve is expected to live to 58 years of age. In contrast, a 42-year-old in the general population is expected to live to 78 years of age.

TAVR uses small surgery cuts and a flexible, hollow tube called a catheter to reach the heart. It's different from open-heart surgery to replace the aortic valve. That surgery requires a long cut down the chest. To do TAVR , a doctor inserts a catheter into a blood vessel, usually in the groin or chest area.

However, with proper medical care, a positive mindset, and a commitment to a heart-healthy lifestyle, many individuals go on to lead vibrant, fulfilling lives for many years after undergoing heart valve surgery.

Heart valve surgery requires use of a cardiopulmonary bypass, also known as a “heart-lung machine,” to temporarily take over the function of the heart and lungs, diverting blood from the heart so that the surgeon can operate. Mitral valve surgery typically takes one to four hours.

Schwarzenegger, who had a congenital heart defect, has undergone heart surgery three times. In 2018, he had open-heart surgery to replace a pulmonary valve, following a previous pulmonary valve replacement in 1997. He also underwent heart surgery in 2020 to replace an aortic valve.

The study showed that people with aortic stenosis who had surgery to replace a narrowed valve have only a slightly reduced life expectancy than people without the condition. Post-operative survival ranged from an average of 16 years in people aged 65 or less, to between six and seven years for people over 75.

Compared with all bypass operations, valve replacement had no effect on surgical mortality except in the group at highest risk. Conversely, valve replacement was associated with reduced late survival in all but those at highest risk.

The median survival in patients 65 to 69, 70 to 79, and ≥80 years of age undergoing isolated AVR was 13, 9, and 6 years, respectively. For AVR plus coronary artery bypass graft procedures, median survival was 10, 8, and 6 years, respectively.

Does heart valve repair shorten life expectancy? ›

According to a 2021 study, the average life expectancy for individuals ages 60 to 64 who undergo surgical aortic valve replacement is 16.2 years . For people 85 or older, the average life expectancy after valve replacement is 6.1 years.

Reduce salt, sugar, and alcohol intake. Avoid processed foods, specifically processed meat, e.g., sausage, ham, and bacon. Avoid saturated fat, including animal fat, coconut, and palm oils.

An aortic valve replacement is carried out under general anaesthetic. This means you'll be asleep during the operation and won't feel any pain while it's carried out.

Procedure Eligibility

Your heart team will consider several factors when deciding if you are a good candidate for TAVR, including: Overall heart health: People who have problems with more than one valve or have conditions such as aortic aneurysm or coronary artery disease may not be good candidates for TAVR.

Valve surgeries, including valve repair and valve replacement, are the most common minimally invasive procedure. The benefits of minimally invasive surgery include: Lower risk of infection. Less bleeding and trauma.

For most valve repair and replacement procedures, you'll receive medications that put you in a sleep-like state (general anesthesia) so you won't feel any pain during the surgery. You may be connected to a heart-lung bypass machine. The machine keeps blood moving through the body during the heart valve surgery.

Most people (95%) can go at least 10 years without needing another surgery. Almost as many (90%) can go 20 years. Most people don't need another mitral valve surgery after a successful repair.