Heart Valve Replacement Surgery

When one of the heart valves is not functioning properly, a patient might have to undergo a heart valve replacement surgery. There are two main types of heart valve replacement surgery, aortic valve replacement surgery and mitral valve replacement surgery. The aortic heart valve is located on the left side of the heart and is responsible for the flow of blood out of the heart into the rest of the body. The mitral heart valve is also located on the left side of the heart slightly to the left of the aortic valve, and is responsible for bringing oxygenated blood from the lungs into the heart. Heart valve replacement surgery is often necessary when either the mitral or aortic heart valve is narrowed or will not close, which results in overexertion of the heart. When the heart is continually overexerted, it can lead to eventual heart failure if the patient does not have heart valve replacement surgery.

Heart valve replacement surgery is performed at the hands of talented cardiothoracic surgeons, who are amongst the most highly trained medical doctors in the world. Finding the right cardiothoracic surgeon to perform your heart valve replacement surgery is an important step in ensuring a successful surgical outcome. If possible, try to locate an experienced cardiothoracic surgeon who has decades of knowledge and surgical experience in heart valve replacements. Making an appointment with an experienced cardiothoracic surgeon can help patients weigh the benefits and drawbacks to heart valve replacement surgery. Southern California patients can visit the esteemed surgical team at the California Center for Cardiothoracic Surgery, who are highly regarded as top heart surgeons in the region.