Heart Valves Surgery - Heart Valve Reconstruction

Calcifications and inflammatory processes affect the performance of heart valves. This may take the form of impaired closure or increased tightness, with subsequent changes in the heart that end later in heart failure. Surgical intervention should take place in the proper time to restore the performance of the valve or to replace it if the repair is not possible.

Biological valves from pigs and, to a lesser extent, from cow pericardium, are commonly used to replace the damaged heart valve. Our hospital currently uses biological valves without a stent in most of cases of aortic valve replacement. These valves have a bigger inner diameter, so that the postoperative recovery time for the heart is shorter.

The trend is nowadays towards biological valves though mechanical valves still have their important part to play in valve surgery. Mechanical valves have either one or two leaflets. When a mechanical valve is used, postoperative anticoagulation is required.

There are no significant differences in the results between biological and mechanical valves ten years after the operation. However, mechanical valves have the disadvantage of a high risk of thromboembolic complications as well as bleeding complications due to the use of anticoagulants. On the other hand, biological valves tend to degenerate with time with the subsequent need for re-operation.

After implanting more than 1200 Medtronic Freestyle stentless valves in the course of more than 10 years in our hospital, we have had to change fewer than 1 % of these valves.

Please also take notice of the Therapy Practic

• Aortic Valve Reconstruction
• Aortic Valve Replacement
• Ross Operation
• Mitral Valve Reconstruction

For further details please see the "Guidebook for Patients"

"Operationen am Herzen - Herzklappenchirurgie".

Heart operations - heart valve surgery