Heart Valve Replacement

1. What is Heart Valve Replacement?

Heart valve replacement involves replacing a damaged valve with a prosthetic valve to help restore normal blood flow through the heart. The most commonly replaced valves are the aortic and mitral valves.

2. When is it Recommended?

It may be recommended when a valve has severe stenosis (narrowing) or regurgitation (leakage) and the condition causes significant symptoms, affects heart function or carries a substantial risk of complications.

3. What Symptoms May a Patient Notice?

Valve disease may cause breathlessness, fatigue, chest discomfort, dizziness, fainting, palpitations or swelling of the legs and ankles. Some patients may have few symptoms despite significant valve disease.

4. What Does the Treatment Involve?

In conventional valve replacement, the surgeon removes the diseased valve and implants a prosthetic valve. The procedure is generally performed under general anaesthesia with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

5. What Are the Main Treatment Options?

Replacement options include mechanical valves, biological (tissue) valves and selected transcatheter valve replacement procedures. For some patients, valve repair may be preferable to replacement.

6. How Long Does Treatment & Recovery Take?

Conventional valve replacement commonly takes around 3–5 hours. Hospitalisation is usually around 5–10 days, followed by approximately 6–12 weeks of recovery. Transcatheter procedures may involve a shorter hospital stay and recovery period.

7. What Are the Important Risks or Considerations?

Possible complications include bleeding, infection, abnormal heart rhythms, blood clots, stroke, kidney complications and prosthetic valve dysfunction. Mechanical valves generally require lifelong anticoagulation (blood-thinning medication).

8. Why Consider Treatment in India?

India has specialised cardiac centres offering conventional valve replacement, minimally invasive cardiac surgery and transcatheter valve procedures, supported by experienced cardiologists, cardiac surgeons and dedicated cardiac intensive-care teams.

9. How Can Medavelle Help?

Medavelle can assist with echocardiography and cardiac report review, cardiologist and cardiac surgeon coordination, valve assessment, hospital selection, valve-treatment planning, international patient arrangements and postoperative follow-up.

10. What Should the Patient Do Next?

Share your cardiac reports → Valve assessment → Cardiologist & cardiac surgeon evaluation → Treatment recommendation → Valve replacement planning in India.