Overview
Heart valve surgery is used to repair or replace diseased heart valves. Blood that flows between different chambers of your heart must flow through a heart valve. Blood that flows out of your heart into large arteries must also flow through a heart valve.
These valves open up enough so that blood can flow through. They then close, keeping blood from flowing backward.
The Four Heart Valves
Aortic Valve
Controls blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta
Mitral Valve
Controls blood flow between the left atrium and left ventricle
Tricuspid Valve
Controls blood flow between the right atrium and right ventricle
Pulmonic Valve
Controls blood flow from the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery
Surgical Approaches
Before your surgery, you will receive general anesthesia. You will be asleep and unable to feel pain.
Open Heart Surgery
The surgeon makes a large surgical cut in your breastbone to reach the heart and aorta. You are connected to a heart-lung bypass machine. Your heart is stopped while you are connected to this machine, which does the work of your heart, providing oxygen and removing carbon dioxide.
Minimally Invasive Valve Surgery
Done through much smaller cuts than open surgery, or through a catheter inserted through the skin. Several different techniques are used:
- Percutaneous surgery (through the skin)
- Robot-assisted surgery
Expert Valve Surgery
Dr. Anil Sharma specializes in both mechanical and biological valve replacements with excellent long-term results. With extensive experience in minimally invasive techniques, patients benefit from faster recovery times and reduced complications.