Running head: USING A MECHANICAL HEART VALVE DURING AORTIC SURGERY 1

Using A Mechanical Heart Valve During Aortic Surgery

Bridgette Anderson
January 26, 201
!rosthetic cardiac valves are "eco#ing #ore and #ore $o$ular today %hen treating
Running head: USING A MECHANICAL HEART VALVE DURING AORTIC SURGERY 2
aortic disease& 'here are three #ain (inds o) these valves& 'he caged*"all, tilting*disc and "i*
lea)let valve are the #ain ty$es& 'he "i*lea)let valve is the #ost co##only used out o) the
three& 'he "i*lea)let is t%o car"on lea)lets in a ring that are covered %ith a $olyester (nit
)a"ric& +ach (ind o) valve is #ade o) all #echanical $arts that the "ody can tolerate& 'hese
valves are designed to last #any years& De$ending on your "ody ty$e, #echanical valves can
"e the "est o$tion %hen having any (ind o) aortic valve surgery& Medicin,et& -1..6*201/&
Valve Disease Treatment& Medicine,et& 0etrieved January 26,201& 1ro#
http:!!!"#edi$inenet"$%#hea&t'(a)(e'di*ea*e't&eat#enta&ti$)e"ht#
2hoosing a #echanical valve de$ends on your condition and heart situation& 'his ty$e
o) valve #ay "e the "est )it )or you, "ut it co#es %ith its do%n sides too& Because o) the
arti)icial #aterial that is in the valve, li)elong "lood thinning #edication %ith need to "e ta(en&
'he #edicine is used to $revent clots )ro# )or#ing in the valve %hich can increase your ris(
)or a stro(e& 'his heart valve is also (no%n )or "eing 3uite noisy& So#e $atients say they can
hear a clic(ing noise due to the valve o$ening and closing in the heat& All valves have their
side e))ects, "ut are %orth it i) you %ant to live& !ic(, A& -August 2., 2004/& Mechanical or bio-
prosthetic Heart Valve Replacement& Heart*valve*surgery& 0etrieved January 26, 201& 1ro#
http:!!!"hea&t+(a)(e+*u&ge&,"$%#hea&t+*u&ge&,+-)%g2.././20#e$hani$a)+%&+-i%p&%*theti$+hea&t+
(a)(e+&ep)a$e#ent*
'here can "e #any reasons as to %hy you are having aortic valve surgery& 5ne reason
"eing the valve causing you $ain& 6ou #ay "e e7$eriencing chest $ain, shortness o) "reath,
)ainting or even heart )ailure& 'he tests that are "eing done today are sho%ing that changes in
your aortic valve can "eing very har#)ul to your heart and ho% it is %or(ing& Another reason
)or having surgery is "ecause your valve has "een da#aged "y an in)ection& 6ou #ay also
have had surgery "e)ore to re$air a valve and no% that valve is not %or(ing correctly, or you
are e7$eriencing other $ro"le#s such as "lood clots, in)ections or "leeding& U&S ,ational
Running head: USING A MECHANICAL HEART VALVE DURING AORTIC SURGERY 1
8i"rary o) Medicine& -5cto"er 91, 2019/& Aortic Valve Surgery : 5$en& ,l#&nih& 0etrieved
January 26, 201& 1ro# http:!!!"n)#"nih"g%(#ed)inep)u*en$,a&ti$)e..23./"ht#
'he o$en heart surgery can so#eti#es "e a long $rocess& ;t #ay ta(e t%o to )ive
hours, or in so#e cases eight& Be)ore your surgery $atients receive general anesthesia so
that you %ill )eel no $ain& 5nce you are in the surgery roo#, #ost $atients %ill "e hoo(ed to a
heart*lung "y$ass #achine or "y$ass $u#$& 'his #achine is res$onsi"le )or doing all o) your
hearts %or( %hile you are in surgery "ecause your actual heart %ill "e sto$$ed& 'he surgeon
%ill then #a(e a large cut in your "reast "one in order to get to the heart and aorta, %hich is
the #ain "lood vessel )ro# your heart to the rest o) your "ody& 6our "reast"one %ill then "e
se$arated to get a "etter loo(& So#eti#es your surgeon %ill choose to use your o%n
$ul#onary valve to re$lace the da#aged aortic valve& 'hen an arti)icial valve %ill re$lace your
$ul#onary valve& 'his is (no%n as the 0oss !rocedure and is used %hen $atients do not
%ant to rely on "lood thinners& A)ter your valve has "een re$aired and is %or(ing correctly,
your surgeon %ill then close your heart and re#ove you )ro# the heart*lung #achine& 'o
re#ove the )luids that have "uilt u$, catheter tu"es %ill "e $laced around your heart& 6our
"reast"one %ill ta(e si7 %ee(s to heal a)ter "eing closed using stainless steel %ires that %ill
re#ain in your "ody& U&S ,ational 8i"rary o) Medicine& -5cto"er 91, 2019/& Aortic Valve
Surgery : 5$en& ,l#&nih& 0etrieved January 26, 201& 1ro#
http:!!!"n)#"nih"g%(#ed)inep)u*en$,a&ti$)e..23./"ht#
Aortic heart valve surgery can "e a long and tireso#e $rocess, "ut in the end it is all
%orth it& 2hoosing a #echanical valve can so#eti#e "ene)it you #ore instead o) a
"ioche#ical valve& +ach $erson is di))erent and you have to go %ith the valve that "est suits
your heart condition Having to rely on "lood thinners the rest o) your li)e is a #a<or reason
so#e $atients choose not to go %ith #echanical valves, "ut today they are "eco#ing #ore
co##on&
Running head: USING A MECHANICAL HEART VALVE DURING AORTIC SURGERY 3
Medicin,et& -1..6*201/& Valve Disease Treatment& Medicine,et& 0etrieved Janurary
26,201& 1ro# htt$=>>%%%&#edicinenet&co#>heart?valve?disease?treat#ent>article&ht#
!ic(, A& -August 2., 2004/& Mechanical or bioprosthetic Heart Valve Replacement& Heart*
valve*surgery& 0etrieved Jaurary 26, 201& 1ro# http://www.heart-valve-surgery.com/heart-
surgery-blog/2008/08/29/mechanical-or-bioprosthetic-heart-valve-replacements/
U&S ,ational 8i"rary o) Medicine& -5cto"er 91, 2019/& Aortic Valve Surgery : 5$en& ,l#&nih&
0etrieved January 26, 201& 1ro#
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007408.h tm