Heart valve surgery repairs or replaces one or more of your heart’s four valves. Your valves, located between the heart’s chambers, keep your blood flowing in the right direction. These act like doors that open and close with each heartbeat, allowing your blood to flow in and out of the chambers. When your valve works properly, your blood should flow in one direction out of your heart each time your heart beats.

The heart valves cannot repair themselves and the disease will get worse over time. As the disease gets worse, you will have more symptoms and your overall health will be affected. These changes often happen gradually, but they can also happen very quickly.

Depending on the type and extent of your valve disease, medication may help symptoms in the short term. Surgery is the only effective long-term solutionWhich your doctor will decide based on your condition. According to Dr. Ved Prakash, senior consultant and head of cardiothoracic and vascular surgery at Sarvodaya Hospital, here are some commonly known aspects of heart valve surgery that may surprise a non-medical person.

It’s not always open-heart surgery

It is commonly believed that heart valve surgery always requires cutting the chest and stopping the heart. However, modern technologies like Minimally invasive surgery or transcatheter Procedures such as TAVR for aortic valves allow repair or replacement without major incisions or even stopping the heart.

you can listen to your heart

If you have a mechanical valveYou may hear a slight “clicking” sound from it, especially in quiet environments. “This is normal and is just the opening and closing of the valve,” Dr. Prakash said.

Valves can be from surprising sources

Replacement valves can come from metal, which is mechanical, a graft, bioprosthetic, or even a human donor, known as an allograft. The choice depends on factors such as age, lifestyle and medical condition.

You may need blood thinners

If you have a mechanical valve, lifelong blood-thinning medication is usually necessary to prevent clots. However, bioprosthetic valves may not require long-term anticoagulation.

Surgery doesn’t fix everything permanently

Even though valve surgery improves quality of life – even replacement valves have a limited lifespan – bioprosthetic valves typically last 10–20 years. mechanical valve This lasts a lifetime but also comes with other management challenges.

Recovery can be surprisingly quick

Depending on the approach, patients often believe that recovery takes months. However, with minimally invasive techniquesSome patients return to normal activities within a few weeks.

You can live normally after surgery

Many people are afraid of limitations after valve surgery. In fact, most patients return to their normal activities, including sports and exercise, after a full recovery.

Not all valve problems require surgery

Multiple valve issues, such as mild stenosis or stenosisIt can be managed with medications and regular monitoring for years before surgery is necessary.

Valve problems often go undetected

People who have valve disease may have no symptoms for years, even when the problem is severe. Often, it is only during a routine checkup that the doctor discovers the murmur, which enables the diagnosis to be made.

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