Heart Valves

Heart Valves

Have you ever asked the question what are heart valves? Well, if so you are probably not alone. For those of us who have spent some time on the internet doing research on heart disease the term heart calves comes up often. In short, the heart valves open close when the heart beats in order to ensure that blood flows in only one direction. Without the aid of heart valves, it would be impossible for blood to pump through all four of the hearts chambers. As you could imagine, this is why the heart valves are so important. If you have symptoms of a condition that has to do with heart valves it would be a wise idea to see your doctor as soon as possible. If the heart valves are not functioning properly then there is a chance that you could have a heart attack.

Heart Valve Overview

Each heart valve has a set of flaps that open and close in full when they are functioning properly. The valves can be defective at birth or there are things that can happen in order to make them become defective.

* There are four heart valves located in the heart.
* The tricuspid valve is located between the right atrium and the right ventricle.
* The pulmonary valve can be found between the pulmonary artery and the right ventricle.
* Between the left atrium and the left ventricle is the mitral valve.
* The aortic valve is between the aorta and left ventricle.
* An infection can cause any one of the heart valves to malfunction.
* As you become older, the valve structure can change for the worse.

Defective Heart Valves

* A defective heart valve could be one that does not open fully which means that enough blood is not getting through to the heart.
* A defective valve may also not close completely which can lead to a backup of blood in the heart and surrounding areas.
* Defective heart valves can either be treated with medication or surgery. The severity of the malfunction with the valve determines the course of treatment.

Exactly what are heart valves is a question that everyone should know the answer to. Since properly functioning heart valves are essential to one’s health is really important to know what the warning signs are for this condition. Having a faulty heart valve diagnosed early will give you a better chance of living comfortably with the condition.

Replacement heart valve surgery

Valvular diseases (lesions of the four valves of the heart) in general have some common characteristics in terms of etiology, symptoms, clinical investigations but also others such as replacement heart valve surgery used in treatment.

Replacement heart valve surgery basics

There are four valves in our heart: mitral valve, aortic valve, pulmonary valve and tricuspid valve. These valves may have opening of valve problems (stenosis) or closing of valve problems (regurgitation). Interventional treatment (especially replacement heart valve surgery) is necessary when patients have symptoms for these lesions.
We can not expect that valve lesions consists have a spontaneously regressive evolution and therefore the most common method of treatment is the replacement hear valve surgery. There are cases when multiple heart valves are affected. The surgery is performed by repairing or replacing the heart valve. Replacement heart valve surgery is surgery that is performed when the valve can not be repaired and the heart valve is replaced with a prosthetic valve. Before replacement heart valve surgery patients will receive general anesthesia during which they will be asleep and will not feel pain. The most replaced valves are mitral valve and aortic valve. There two kinds of valves used for the replacement heart valve: mechanical valves and biological valves. Biological valves may come from pigs, cows or human donor. Biological valves from human donor may be heart valves or pulmonary valve especially for aortic valve replacement. Mechanical valves are much better then biological valves. After replacement heart valve surgery with mechanical valve patients must follow treatment with anticoagulants or with aspirin for the rest of his life.
Mitral stenosis and mitral regurgitation
Replacement heart valve surgery for mitral stenosis is indicated in patients suffering from medium or large stenosis (mitral valve orifice of less than 1 inch or symptomatic patients and mitral valve opening more than 1 inch).  The most common cause of mitral stenosis is rheumatic disease. Prophylactic replacement heart valve surgery for mitral stenosis may be made to women who want to have a child.
Replacement heart valve surgery can also be done for mitral regurgitation. But this can have some disadvantages: first because replaced valve can not function as original valve and second because may be some complications of surgery (embolism, infection in the body, coagulation changes or endocarditis – infections of heart valve).
Aortic stenosis and aortic regurgitation
Aortic valves are different from mitral valves such as structure and function. Replacement heart valve surgery is done both for congenital aortic stenosis and for acquired aortic stenosis. Indications for surgery can be done to symptomatic patients or to patients with moderate aortic stenosis who have other heart surgery.
Replacement heart valve surgery for aortic regurgitation is an easy surgery to replace aortic valve. Mortality of this intervention is quite high.
Complications related to valve replacement are increasingly rare lately and when they occur is necessary a new surgery.

In conclusion replacement heart valve surgery is a very good technique to solve valvular heart problems.