What is the risk of a valve operation?
Currently the hospital mortality (death within 30 days of operation) for Multiple valve replacement carries much the same risk as…
How long will they last?
Valve replacement as we know it today started in the 1960s and xenograft valves have been in use on a…
What sort of new valves are available?
There are two varieties of valve that can be used to replace the diseased one in the patient: 1. Prosthetic…
What is Valve surgery
The two valves most often affected are the mitral and aortic valves on either side of the main pumping chamber…
What is Treatment
Treatment may involve the use of drugs or surgery. One type of drug (diuretic) is used to relieve the congestion…
Diseases of the valves
Any of the four heart valves may become diseased, but the most commonly involved are the mitral and aortic valves.…
The heart and its valves
The heart consists of four separate chambers. There are two receiving chambers and two pumping chambers. One receiving chamber receives …
VALVULAR HEART DISEASE
Abnormalities of the heart may be either congenital or acquired during life and are very common. In most cases they…
What can I do?
Most of this booklet has talked about what other people can and will do to ensure a successful operation and…
Return to work
It is an encouraging fact that most studies have shown that around 75% to 80% of heart surgery patients return…