Heart Valve Replacement Los Angeles If you are in need of heart valve replacement surgery, Los Angeles is a good place to get the procedure done, as some of the top cardiologists in the world work here and there is a high standard for excellence throughout the city.  When a heart valve cannot be repaired by a surgeon, the only solution is to look at heart valve replacement.  This is when a surgeon performs an operation and replaces the heart valve with a new valve.  There are three different options for heart valve replacement, and Los Angeles hospitals have qualified surgeons standing ready to perform any of them if needed, although the first depends on a replacement being available. The three most common types of heart valve replacement in Los Angeles include homografts, mechanical valves and tissue valves. A homograft is not an artificial heart valve but rather one donated by a human body.  This is often the best choice as it does not require long-term treatments to keep it functioning properly and can properly work in conjunction with the other functions of the heart.  However, as it requires human donors, it is not easy to come by a homograft. Another choice for heart valve replacement in Los Angeles is a tissue valve, which is a heart valve taken from an animal. The true artificial valve, otherwise known as a mechanical valve, is designed to completely replace the human heart valve.  Unfortunately, in order to keep a mechanical heart valve working properly, the patient must take anticoagulants on a regular basis in order to keep blood from clotting inside the valve.  This requires regular checkups, tests, and monitoring by a qualified Los Angeles professional, or a home-testing kit.    At the California Center for Cardiothoracic Surgery, we are a leader in heart valve replacement.  Los Angeles experts regard our surgeons with the utmost respect, and when you come to us you can be assured procedures held to the highest standards.  Call today to learn more about heart valve replacement surgery at our Los Angeles facility.