How heart valve replacement surgery is performed? | Your guide to heart ...

How heart valve replacement surgery is performed? | Your guide to heart valve replacement surgery

Heart valve disease is a condition where one or multiple valves in the heart do not function properly. In a healthy heart the valves open and close once during each heartbeat which ensures blood flows in the right direction. However, valves can fail to open properly (called stenosis) or close properly (called regurgitation) which can result in blood being stopped at inopportune moments or leaking. The type of heart valve disease you have (aortic, mitral, pulmonary, or tricuspid) depends
on the valve affected. Treatment of the condition may include medication, balloon valvotomy, or heart valve replacement surgery. If your condition is mild enough, the doctor may take a wait and see attitude.

When it comes to heart valve surgery, the surgeon may take one of two approaches. The doctor may repair the valve. This involves tightening the valve by sewing a ring around the opening.
The valve may also be cut, separated, or shortened in order to get it function properly. The other option the surgeon may take is to completely replace the valve with a prosthetic. The prosthetic may be mechanical and made from artificial materials. These types of valves require the patient to take an
anticoagulant for the rest of their life. Biological prosthetics also exist which are transplanted from cows, pigs, or other human donors. However, these valves tend to wear out quicker than mechanical ones.

Heart valve replacement surgery is similar to bypass surgery. The patient is put under general anesthesia and the chest is opened. Since the heart cannot beat during the surgery, the patient is hooked up to a heart-lung machine that ensures oxygen is circulated throughout the
body. The heart is then stopped so that the surgeon can repair or replace the valve. Minimally invasive heart valve surgery can be done as an alternative. This option involves smaller cuts in the chest which result in a faster recovery and less pain.

Cardiac surgeons explain heart surgery complications

The number of patients encountering heart problems is increasing every year and as a result, heart related surgeries is also significantly high. In India alone, thousands of patients are operated upon for heart problems every day, which accounts to a large number per year. To be precise, cardiac surgery besets different procedures conducted by a cardiac surgeon. To name some, it is done to repair or replace valves, widen affected arteries, instil devices to manage proper heart functioning and transplant heart.   

Usually, heart surgery is the final option for treating a cardiovascular issue, i.e. when medicines or drugs fail to provide positive feedback. As with any other surgery, heart surgery also contains some risks and complexities. Before setting up the whole process of a heart surgery, the patient is thoroughly examined with the objective to minimise after-surgery complications. Moreover, the patient should be aware of the recovery options and impediments of a cardiovascular surgery before giving his consent for the medical procedure.

The typical heart operation is referred to as open heart surgery, wherein the chest is cut open and all the deformities relating to heart are dealt with. Cardiac surgeons use a heart-lung bypass machine during the process that ensures proper functioning of the lungs and heart. But thanks to the big leaps taken by the medical industry, there are minimally invasive procedures available now. These procedures pose less risk than a traditional open heart surgery resulting in speedy recovery. Here is a list of complications, both minor and major which can be associated with a heart operation.

BLEEDING DURING THE OPERATION

Cardiac surgeons take plenty of care while operating upon a patient’s heart. Well, there is some sort of bleeding associated with every surgical procedure. But in some cases, excess bleeding occurs after the operation, which is normally addressed by then present professionals immediately. If there is any damage to the blood vessels, quick diagnosis is essential for survival.

HEART ATTACK

Increased stress experienced by the patient during the operation can lead to heart attack. It is by far the most common major complication of a bypass surgery. Heart attack is likely to be unambiguous in individuals with high blood pressure, choked blood vessels or disorder in heart muscles.

STROKE

Cardiac surgeons have reported some cases where patients suffer from blood clots resulting in no supply of oxygen to the brain. Hence, the patient is likely to endure a stroke. Speech impairment and paralysis are some of the potential consequences of a stroke. However, death is not ruled out either.

ISSUES WITH THE LUNGS

Lung functionality does get affected during a heart operation. Some of the complications include fluid accretion in the chest, breathing problems, respiratory tract infection, bleeding, lung failure etc. That is why cardiac surgeons use heart-lung bypass machine.

INCONSEQUENTIAL PROBLEMS

Heart surgeries may lead to not so worrying problems such as vomiting, swelling, bruising, skin allergy & numbness, nausea, scar formation, irregular heart beat and so on. These conditions don’t require much concern and can be treated with over-the-counter medicines or by following self-care tips.

On an ending note, the overall complications attributed with heart surgeries depends on the patient’s health, expertise of the cardiac surgeon, kind of operation and medical equipments. Nonetheless, getting a surgery performed by a qualified professional and taking prompt after-care are keys to reduce heart surgery complexities.