Page 27 - Mended Hearts-HeartGuide
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COMMON TESTS AND THERAPIES
Pulmonary Valve Mitral Valve
Tricuspid Valve Aortic Valve
Heart valves are often central players
in heart disease treatment.
Interventions and Surgeries adequate blood flow through the valve. Surgery can
open or replace the valve.
High-tech imaging and testing may reveal that one or Regurgitation, when the leaflet doesn’t close
more parts of your heart are in need of a surgical repair. properly, allowing blood to leak backward. Surgery
This often feels like a big step, and a scary one. Although repairs or replaces the faulty valve.
there is risk with any medical procedure, thanks to
technological and medical advances, millions of people Considerations
who have undergone heart procedures are living long,
full lives. Here are some of the options your doctor may Your doctor will consider a few factors to determine if
discuss with you: heart valve repair or replacement surgery is necessary,
including the severity of the valve disease; your age and
Valve Surgery general health; and whether you need heart surgery for
other conditions, such as coronary artery bypass surgery
Valve surgery involves a repair or replacement, and can (see page 25), that can be done simultaneously.
prevent lasting damage to your heart and sudden death.
How it Works
A heart with proper function has four valves (see
illustration at right) that keep the blood flowing in Valve Repair: Valve repair comes with fewer risks of
one direction only. They open and close, causing the complications and is therefore the preferred option over
“heartbeat” sound. These are the two most common replacement. In this scenario, valve surgeons rebuild the
valve problems that may require surgery: valve so it works correctly.
Stenosis, when the heart valve “doors” or “leaflets”
thicken, stiffen, or become fused and prevent
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