The Ed Dardanell Heart & Vascular Center at West Penn Hospital - Forbes Regional Campus
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Heart Valve Surgery

Once a valve problem has been diagnosed and surgery scheduled, you'll have some things to do. Some preparations will help make your surgery go smoothly. Some will help you get set up for your return home from the hospital. And others will help you feel more at ease. Your doctor will talk with you about the risks. Write down all your questions in advance so you don't forget to ask them.

During Your Surgery

  • Your surgeon will first gain access to your heart. To get to the heart, the surgeon usually makes an incision down the center of the chest. The breastbone (sternum) is then separated. (If your surgeon plans to reach your heart by a different means, he or she will discuss it with you.)

  • A heart-lung machine will oxygenate your blood so your heart and lungs can be still during the surgery.

  • The surgeon will either repair or replace the problem valve. If you have another heart problem, a second procedure may be done at the same time to take care of it, too.

  • After surgery is done, the breastbone is rejoined with wires. The incision is then closed. In many cases, the breastbone heals in 6 to 8 weeks.

Three Ways to Treat Problem Valves

Different problems call for different treatments. Your doctor will talk with you in advance about the treatment that is best for you. In some cases, though, the plan may need to change once surgery has begun. The three basic ways to treat valve problems during surgery are:

  • Repair of the valve: Whenever they can, surgeons prefer to repair a valve rather than replace it. The most common kind of repair involves sewing a ring around the entrance to a valve to improve its size or shape. Another involves cutting tissue to let leaflets open or close better. When repair isn't possible, the valve will be replaced.

  • Replacement with a mechanical valve: Mechanical valves are made of metal or hard carbon. There are many designs. Valves can last for decades. But blood tends to stick to them, forming clots. So if you receive a mechanical valve, you have to take Coumadin, an anticoagulant medication, for life to prevent blood clots.

  • Replacement with a tissue valve: A tissue valve usually comes from a pig or a cow. Blood does not clot as easily on tissue valves. So patients getting tissue valves may need Coumadin for only a short time. Aspirin is sometimes used instead. Tissue valves may wear out faster than mechanical valves. So they may have to be replaced sooner.


A ring
A mechanical valve
A tissue valve

Recovering After Surgery: In the Hospital

After surgery, you'll spend 4 to 6 days in the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (CTICU). Highly trained nurses will monitor you closely. While there, you'll recover further and prepare to go home.


Information from Krames Online. For more information, log onto http://www.forbesregional.kramesonline.com.