overview (AVR)

Aortic valve repair is procedures to treat a damaged or diseased aortic valve.

The aortic valve is one of four valves that control blood flow in the heart. It separates the lower left heart chamber (left ventricle) and the body’s main artery (aorta).

When the heart squeezes (contracts), the aortic valve opens and lets blood flow from the left ventricle into the aorta. When the heart relaxes, the aortic valve closes to prevent blood from moving backward.

A diseased or damaged aortic valve can interfere with blood flow and force the heart to work harder to send blood to the rest of the body.

Aortic valve repair or aortic valve replacement can improve blood flow, reduce symptoms of heart valve disease and prolong life.

After aortic valve repair or replacement surgery, your health care provider can tell you when you can return to daily activities, such as working, driving and exercise.

You’ll typically need regular health checkups to monitor your heart condition and to check for complications, such as valve failure. Imaging tests may be done to make sure the aortic valve is working correctly.

After heart valve surgery, it’s important to follow a heart-healthy lifestyle. Your health care provider may recommend these lifestyle changes:

  • Getting regular exercise
  • Controlling weight
  • Eating a healthy diet
  • Managing stress
  • Not smoking

Your health care provider may also suggest enrolling in a program of education and exercise — called cardiac rehabilitation — to improve your overall health and help you recover after aortic valve surgery.

Overview (MVR)

Mitral valve repair and mitral valve replacement are types of surgery to fix or replace a leaky or stiff mitral valve in the heart. The mitral valve is between the left heart chambers (left atrium and left ventricle).

Mitral valve repair and mitral valve replacement may be done as an open-heart surgery procedure or as minimally invasive heart surgery. Sometimes a mitral valve problem may be treated with a catheter-based procedure. The specific procedure used depends on the severity of your mitral valve disease and whether it’s getting worse.

Why it’s Done

Surgery or another procedure to repair or replace a mitral valve may be done if you have mitral valve disease such as:

  • Mitral valve regurgitation. The flaps (leaflets) of the mitral valve don’t close tightly, causing blood to leak backward. Mitral valve regurgitation is common in people with mitral valve prolapse. Mitral valve repair surgery is recommended if you have severe mitral valve regurgitation symptoms.
  • Mitral valve stenosis. The valve leaflets become thick or stiff, and they may fuse together. This causes the valve to become narrowed and reduces blood flow through the area.

If mitral valve disease is mild, your health care provider may first suggest regular checkups to monitor your heart health. You may be prescribed medications to manage symptoms.

Sometimes mitral valve repair or mitral valve replacement is done even if you’re not having symptoms. Research has found that performing surgery in some people with severe mitral valve regurgitation who aren’t having symptoms — rather than monitoring the condition — can improve long-term outcomes.

For people with mitral valve disease, health care providers may often recommend repairing the mitral valve when possible, as it preserves the mitral valve and may preserve heart function.

Mitral valve repair may be done to avoid complications that can occur with mitral valve replacement, such as blood clots due to mechanical valves and biological tissue valve failure.

Results

Mitral valve repair and replacement surgery may help reduce symptoms and improve quality of life in people with mitral valve disease.

If you had mitral valve replacement with a mechanical valve, you’ll need blood thinners for life to prevent blood clots. Biological tissue valves break down (degenerate) over time and usually need to be replaced.

Regular health checkups are needed to make sure the new or repaired valve is working properly. Your care provider may recommend a program of education and exercise to help you improve your health and recover after heart surgery. This type of program is called cardiac rehabilitation.

Following a healthy lifestyle is important to heart health before and after mitral valve surgery. A healthy lifestyle includes:

  • Not smoking
  • Getting regular exercise
  • Eating a healthy diet
  • Managing stress

 

Consult a Cardiologist in India

Cost of Valve replacement – AVR/MVR (including valves) in India