Heart valve surgery
So that everything works with your heart again
Our heart valves fulfill vital functions. You can find out more about them here, as well as what heart valve defects there are and what procedures can be performed. You are welcome to read on.
Our four heart valves ensure that blood always flows in the right direction. Heart valves can be narrowed/thickened (stenosis) or leaky (insufficiency). Aortic valve stenosis and mitral valve insufficiency are the most common heart valve diseases. Other, mostly congenital heart valve malformations are possible, but less common.
In order to repair or replace a defective heart valve, a surgical operation or catheter intervention is usually necessary.
The chest does not necessarily have to be opened for heart valve surgery. Depending on the anatomy, a heart valve can also be surgically replaced or repaired using a minimally invasive procedure (lateral opening of the chest cavity). In the case of a replacement, a biological valve is usually used so that no strong blood-thinning therapy is subsequently necessary.
However, a percutaneous procedure is often also possible, in which a catheter with a new biological heart valve (in the folded state) is brought to the heart via the inguinal artery and the valve is then implanted, known as TAVI.
The catheter method (TAVI) has proven to be particularly effective for aortic valve stenosis, as only a small opening in the inguinal artery is required. The cardiac team (cardiologist, cardiac surgeon, anesthesiologist, imaging specialist) makes the final decision or recommendation as to which type of procedure is appropriate or necessary in each individual case after thorough preliminary clarification of the anatomical details and taking into account the general condition of the patient.
In the case of mitral valve insufficiency, the valve can either be surgically repaired or replaced. Alternatively, catheter intervention (clipping) is an option and is particularly suitable for older or high-risk patients. The clip is guided to the heart via an inguinal vein using a catheter and the leaking heart valve is repaired. Valve replacement using catheter technology is currently still in the development phase.
The same intervention options are also available for the tricuspid valve.
In the case of significant stenosis or insufficiency of a heart valve, this should be clarified in a specialized center and then discussed as a team so that patients are subsequently able to work again without shortness of breath and can enjoy a good quality of life.
As a competent team, we are at your side with advice and support from the preliminary consultation to the operation and aftercare. This means that you are in the best of hands with us when it comes to heart valve surgery.
Declaration of consent for aortic valve replacement (TAVI)
Declaration of consent for mitral valve replacement (MitraClip)
