Mitral Valve Replacement

When there are issues with the mitral valve, it is known as mitral valve illness. For some individuals, the disease is silent and they don’t experience any symptoms until it becomes severe. When symptoms occur, they usually experience issues like light-headedness, shortness of breath, and increased heartbeat.

There are two forms of mitral valve illness:

• Mitral valve stenosis- This form causes less flowing of blood through the heart chambers.
• Mitral valve regurgitation- It indicates that there is a blood leakage in the mitral valve.

There are health conditions that increase the demand for surgery:

• Coronary artery disease
• Rheumatic fever
• Heart failure
• An infection in the heart valves
• Mitral valve prolapses

There are various factors that lead to mitral valve replacement surgery. In certain cases, the illness is simply an outcome of aging and the mitral valve wearing out. Here is why the surgery is done:

• When a patient has severe regurgitation (leaky valve)
• Leaky valve causing symptoms
• Heart enlargement
• Severe mitral valve stenosis with severe symptoms

The healthcare team and the doctor helps the patient to prepare for the surgery. It is vital to follow the doctor’s instructions. They will ask the patient to follow these steps

• Don’t take medications in the weeks leading up to the surgery
• The patient must ensure not to smoke before the procedure
• Using antimicrobial soap for bathing the night before the surgery
• Taking prescribed medications on the surgery day
• Don’t eat and drink after a particular time on the surgery day

During the mitral valve replacement procedure, the surgeon will begin fixing one or more problems with the patient’s valve. There are various mitral valve replacement procedure steps following during the surgery and they are:

• Anaesthesia is given to the patient during surgery to put him/her asleep
• The patient is hooked up to a cardiopulmonary bypass machine so that it can replace the functions of the heart and lungs during the surgery
• The surgeon will make an incision in the chest between the patient’s rib. The incisions depend on the surgical method
• Next, the surgeon will put an annuloplasty ring across the valve
• Following the procedure, the surgeon ensures repairing the mitral valve with the use of surgical techniques like an annuloplasty, triangular or quadrangular resection, and chordal repair
• The surgeon will check if the valve is completely repaired to ensure a mitral valve replacement success rate. The adjustments are made accordingly if required
• To put an end to the procedure, the patient is disconnected from the bypass machine so that the heart and lungs can return to their normal functioning again.
• Lastly, a Transesophageal echocardiogram is performed by the surgeon to inspect the valve and ensure repair success.

After the mitral valve replacement surgery, the patient can expect:

• Spend around one or two days in the intensive care unit. The healthcare team monitor the patient and assess the improvement by checking the pulse, breathing, and other vitals
• The patient may have to spend more days in the hospital for recovery
• Learning about cardiac rehab and how to care for the incisions after getting discharged

The majority of patients recover in the hospital within a week after the valve replacement surgery.

There are various mitral valve replacement complications that can be experienced by the patient with mitral valve illness if left untreated:

• Heart stroke
• Infection
• Heart failure
• Bleeding
• Irregular heart rhythms

BM Birla Heart Research Centre is a renowned healthcare service in the eastern region specializing in cardiac care. The center is equipped with the best, renowned, professional, and experienced cardiologists, and cardiac surgeons. With our integrated latest and advanced technological equipment, we offer matchless patient-care services. If you have been diagnosed with mitral valve disease and are looking for the right healthcare service, then you should get in touch with our expert cardiac surgeons who have already performed countless cardiac surgeries successfully. All you have to do is book an appointment with us and our healthcare team will take care of everything further for you.