Download valve surgery

VALVE SURGERY
Your doctor has determined that you need to have valve surgery. This pamphlet you explains
how the heart functions and the main steps in the surgery.
Many problems with heart valves can require heart
VALVE SURGERY
surgery.
YOUR HEART
The heart is a muscle located in the center of the
chest between the lungs. It works like a pump,
circulating blood in order to provide the body with
oxygen and nutrients. The parts of the heart are the
atria, ventricles, valves, and coronary arteries.
Valves
One or more heart valves do not open
completely.
When one or more heart valves
do not open completely, blood
cannot circulate freely. As a
result, the heart must work
harder to push blood from one
chamber to the next. The
medical terminology for this
condition is valvular stenosis.
Atrium
One or more heart valves do not close
completely.
Ventricle
Blood circulates in four chambers referred to as
atria and ventricles. The upper two chambers are
the atria; the lower two are the ventricles.
The heart has four valves that are flap-like tissue
structures that open and close with each heartbeat.
The valves allow blood to pass through the atria and
ventricles, ensuring that blood flows in the right
direction.
The coronary arteries are located on the surface of
the heart, providing it with blood and oxygen.
When one or more valves do not
close completely, blood can flow
backward into the chamber it
came from. This is referred to as
valvular insufficiency.
These two abnormalities can cause various
symptoms, including:
 Dizziness and fainting
 Shortness of breath
 Chest pain
 Swelling of the ankles or abdomen or a weight
gain
To restore valve function and relieve your
symptoms, the doctor may recommend that the
valve be surgically repair or replaced. Valvuloplasty
(valve repair) consists in repairing the diseased
valve by narrowing or widening it. This operation
can be performed if the valve tissue is intact.
Valve Repair
Once the surgeon has access to your heart, he or
she will repair the defective valve.
Valve Replacement
The surgeon will remove the diseased valve and
then install a new valve (biological or mechanical).
If the diseased valve cannot be repaired, it will be
replaced with a biological or mechanical valve. The
surgeon will recommend the one that is the most
appropriate for you.
Biological valves are made of
tissues from animals or human
donors. While they make no
sound, their duration is variable.
Mechanical valves are made of synthetic materials.
Their main advantage is their long durability. They
do, however, make a clicking
sound. Moreover, mechanical
valves require that the
recipient take anticoagulants
(Coumadin®) for life.
MAIN STEPS
OF THE SURGERY
General Anesthesia
Before putting you under, the care team will connect
you to a cardiac monitor (which measures arterial
pressure), a saturometer (which measures blood
oxygen level), and an IV drip. Then, you will be
anesthetized (put to sleep).
Once you have been put to sleep, a tube will be
installed to help you breathe as well as a urinary
catheter and venous-access lines. An anesthetist
will monitor you during the procedure.
Opening the Sternum (Sternotomy)
Usually, the surgeon will perform a sternotomy.
This technique consists in sawing your sternum in
half vertically and in separating the two sides. This
approach gives the surgeon access to your heart.
Temporarily Stopping the Heart
(extracorporeal circulation)
Your heart will be temporarily stopped and
connected to a cardiopulmonary bypass pump. This
device is often referred to as a heart–lung machine
because it takes over their functions.
Once the valve has been repaired or replaced, your
heart will be restarted.
Closing the Sternum
At the end of the operation, your sternum will be put
back into its normal position and attached with steel
wires.
IMPORTANT
 If you have to cancel or postpone your
admission.
 If you have a cold, the flu, a fever, or an
infection the day before your surgery.
Promptly call the admissions office at 819-3461110, extension 13058.
Authors
Cardiopulmonary-Care Patient Program
Surgical Patient Program
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© Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CHUS)
chus.qc.ca
January 2015 – 1-6-71911