Minimally  Invasive (Aortic- Mitral) Valve Replacement Surgery

 

The heart has four chambers through which blood flows to the body via a coordinated series of contractions of the heart muscle. Then, when the heart muscle relaxes, it draws de-oxygenated blood from the venous system. In order for this to work properly, pumped blood should not be allowed to flow backwards during relaxation, and enough blood should enter each chamber during relaxation. Each heart valve plays a role in the provision of healthy blood circulation.  

Minimally Invasive (Aortic- Mitral) Valve Replacement Surgery

Heart valves are leaf-like structures composed of biological connective tissue membranes. There are four valves in the heart. Two of them are located at the beginning of major arteries leaving the heart (the aorta and pulmonary artery) and deliver blood to the body and the lungs respectively. The other two valves are located between the upper and lower chambers (the atria and the ventricles). Normally, the mitral valve (the one between the left atrium and the left ventricle) has two leaflets and the other three has three leaflets.

 

What If An Open Heart Surgery Is Too Risky For Me?

In some cases, valve replacement procedure may only require a series of small incisions. Patients with an intermediate or high risk and severe aortic valve tightness can be good candidates for a minimally invasive valve replacement. Minimally Invasive Valve Replacement can be performed on certain people who can't undergo open-heart surgery. This approach is increasingly being used with the aim of reducing the “invasiveness” of the surgical procedure, while maintaining the same efficacy, quality and safety of a conventional approach. 


How is it performed?
 
  • The Minimally Invasive Valve Replacement procedure can be performed through an incision in the axilla (armpit) approximately 5-6 cm wide, creating access to the heart between the ribs while avoiding any incisions to the muscles, ribs or the sternum. Minimally Invasive Valve Replacement surgery is an innovative surgery technique which is very effective and cost-conscious. Patients who undergo the surgery will experience less pain, have a lower risk of infection, and a shorter hospitalization time relative to traditional procedures thanks to this sub-axillary incision and endoscopic surgical method.

 

  • Unlike a conventional surgery which works through 10-12 incisions and places the patient on a heart-lung machine, the new minimally invasive approaches avoid placing the patient on the machine and involves either only 3-5 incisions placed between the ribs or several small incisions elsewhere. Since the incision is small in this surgery, there is less bleeding, decreasing the need for blood transfusion.

 


What Happens After My Minimally Invasive Valve Replacement?
 
  • Patients may experience less pain and may have a better ability to cough, breathe deeply and move compared to conventional surgery. Additionally, patients are often discharged from the hospital in just 2-3 days, compared to the typical 5-10 days for conventional surgery.
  • Patients will be able to look after their daily needs by themselves as they will retain full use of their arms and experience less pain than in conventional surgery. They can also travel on a plane, drive for short periods and wear seatbelts without the fear of harming their chests.
  • Since these surgeries are performed through incisions in the armpit, even the patient themselves may not see post-operative scars. Additionally, the scars can disappear within only a month, and since the incisions are minimal and there are no bone cuts, infection risks are greatly diminished.

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