Valvular Surgery
Valvular surgery is a surgical procedure performed for the management of heart valve diseases, which cause dysfunction of the valves. It involves the repair or replacement of the diseased or damaged heart valves.
The heart has four valves: tricuspid valve, pulmonary valve, mitral valve, and aortic valve. The four heart valves must function appropriately to ensure proper circulation of blood through the heart. Heart valve disease results from a dysfunction of one or more of these valves.
There are two different types of valve surgery:
- Valve Repair: This is often performed for valves with mild to moderate damage.
- Valve Replacement: This is performed for seriously damaged valves. Here, the diseased valve is removed and replaced with a new valve. The replacement valves can either be biological or mechanical valves.
The need for heart valve repair or replacement depends on many factors, such as the type, cause, and severity of the valve disease, the symptoms, and the general overall health of the patient. Valvular surgery helps to reduce the symptoms and improve the quality of life.
