Aortic Valve Replacement

What you should know

Aortic valve replacement is surgery to put a new aortic valve in your heart. Your aortic valve is a door-like flap between the lower section of your heart and your aorta. The aorta is the large blood vessel that carries blood from your heart out to your body. Your aortic valve opens and closes to let blood pass out of your heart. When your aortic valve does not open or close as it should, the amount of blood that your heart can pump to your body decreases. Your aortic valve will be replaced during surgery. This surgery may be done at the same time as other heart surgery. After surgery, you may have less chest pain, or feel less tired or dizzy. You may be able to exercise more. The surgery may help prevent problems with your heart in the future.

Care Agreement

You have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your caregivers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

Risks

• You may bleed more than you should during or after surgery, and need a blood transfusion or more surgery. After your surgery, you may get an infection or have a stroke. Your new valve may not work right, or over time the new valve or area around it may become damaged. The new valve may be too small and may worsen your condition. The problem you had before the surgery may come back or may still be there after surgery. You may need to have heart valve surgery again. Your heart may not beat as it should after surgery. In rare cases, your heart may stop working.
  
  
• After surgery, you may get a blood clot in your leg or arm. This can cause pain and swelling, and it can stop blood from flowing where it needs to go in your body. The blood clot can break loose and travel to your lungs. A blood clot in your lungs can cause chest pain and trouble breathing. This problem can be life-threatening. You may need to take medicine to prevent blood clots for the rest of your life after your surgery. Without surgery, you may get short of breath or tired more often. Blood and fluid could build up in your lungs and your heart may start to fail. Call your caregiver if you have questions about these risks or your medicine or care.

Getting Ready

Before your surgery:

• Ask your caregiver if you need to stop using aspirin or any other prescribed or over-the-counter medicine before your procedure or surgery.
  
  
• Vasodilator medicine: This medicine is given to widen the blood vessels in the heart and allow blood to flow more easily.
  
  
• Tests: You may need to have blood drawn for tests. You may need to see a dentist to make sure you do not have an infection that can increase your risk of problems after valve surgery. Ask your caregiver for more information about these and other tests that you may need. Write down the date, time, and location of each test.
  
  
• Ask a family member or friend to drive you home when you leave the hospital. Do not drive yourself home.

The night before your surgery:

• Ask caregivers about directions for eating and drinking.
  
  

The day of your surgery:

• Write down the correct date, time, and location of your surgery.
  
  
• Bring your medicine bottles or a list of your medicines when you see your caregiver. Tell your caregiver if you are allergic to any medicine. Tell your caregiver if you use any herbs, food supplements, or over-the-counter medicine.
  
  
• Informed Consent: You or a close family member will be asked to sign a legal document called a consent form. It gives caregivers permission to do the procedure or surgery. It also explains the problems that may happen, and your choices. Make sure all your questions are answered before you sign this form.

Treatment

What will happen:

• In the operating room you will be given general anesthesia medicines to make you sleep. A caregiver will clean your chest. One or more incisions (cuts) will be made in your chest. Caregivers will connect your heart to a heart-lung bypass machine. This machine does the work of your heart and lungs during surgery. The machine keeps blood out of your heart while caregivers work on your valve during surgery.
  
  
• Your aortic valve will be removed and replaced with a tissue valve or mechanical valve. The new valve is sewn in place. Wires may be put in your chest to improve your heart beat after surgery. The heart-lung bypass machine is removed, and your own heart and lungs will start working again. The incision in your chest will be closed with wire and stitches.

After surgery:

You are taken to the recovery room or an intensive care unit (ICU). Caregivers will watch you very closely. A bandage is used to cover your stitches or staples. This bandage keeps the area clean and dry to help prevent infection. A caregiver may remove the bandage shortly after surgery to check the incision. Do not get out of bed until your caregiver says it is OK. Your family may be allowed to visit you in the ICU for a short visit several times a day.

Waiting area:

This is an area where your family and friends can wait until you are able to have visitors. Ask your visitors to provide a way to reach them if they leave the waiting area.

Contact a caregiver if

• You cannot make it to surgery on time.
  
  
• You have questions or concerns about your surgery.
  
  
• You have a fever.
  
  
• You feel more sick than usual, or your symptoms, such as breathing trouble, get worse.

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

Learn more about Aortic Valve Replacement (Precare)