What is heart valve replacement?
Heart valve replacement is a surgery that treats heart valve disease by replacing the diseased heart valve with a mechanical valve or one made from cow, pig or human heart tissue (biological tissue valve).1 It is performed in hospital, under general anaesthetic (you’ll be asleep), and is used to treat serious cases.1
Heart valve disease impairs the heart’s function which can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, and other symptoms.1
After surgery, your breathing should be improved and you should have less chest pain, more energy, and a better quality of life.1
Heart valve replacement is performed by a cardiothoracic surgeon.
There are several different heart valve replacement surgeries, with different medical terms such as aortic valve replacement and mitral valve replacement.