Heart valves are located at the inlets and outlets of the ventricles and ensure that blood flows in one direction. Valve disorders fall into 2 groups: insufficiency (regurgitation) and narrowing (stenosis). Sometimes the same valve can have both stenosis and regurgitation.
Repair is the main approach to treatment, and for this purpose valvuloplasty, annuloplasty, commissurotomy, or replacement with mechanical or biological valves can be performed. The choice of treatment takes into account the course and nature of the disease. In acute and severe defects, surgery is the first choice.
When treating heart valve disease, we first try to repair the valve. If this is not possible, the valve is removed and a prosthetic valve is placed in its position.
Prosthetic valves are divided into two types, mechanical and biological:
Mechanical valves are long-lasting, and after implantation, medication must be taken for life to prevent blood clotting.
Biological valves last on average 8–15 years, and there is no need to take medication to prevent blockage and clotting.
Information on this site is general and does not replace an examination by a doctor.