Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHeart ValvesOpen Surgery vs. OthersLife ExpectancyPost-OpRecoveryComplicationsOutlook
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Heart Valves
Open Surgery vs. Others
Life Expectancy
Post-Op
Recovery
Complications
Outlook
Heart valves keep blood flowing in the right direction between the heart’s four chambers. If a valve, such as the aortic or mitral valve, is diseased or faulty, it may require repair or, sometimes, replacement if repair is not an option or fails.
Open-heart surgery is the traditional way of replacing a heart valve. It involves making a large incision (cut) in the middle of the chest wall to expose the heart and replace the valve.
Alternative options for valve replacement are minimally invasive surgeries, which avoid a large incision and typically allow for a less painful and shorter recovery.
Heart Valve Replacement Based on Affected Valve
Heart valve replacement is surgery that replaces one or more of the heart’s valves when repairing them has failed or is not an option.
There arefour heart valves. They include:
The two main reasons a valve may need to be repaired or replaced are:
Any four valves can malfunction, although severeaortic stenosisis the most common indication for valve replacement.Mitral valves are also commonly repaired or replaced, whereas the tricuspid and pulmonic valves are not.
Any four valves can malfunction, although severeaortic stenosisis the most common indication for valve replacement.
Mitral valves are also commonly repaired or replaced, whereas the tricuspid and pulmonic valves are not.
In all valve replacement cases, the damaged heart valve is replaced with either of the following:
The choice of a valve depends on numerous factors.
While mechanical valves last longer than bioprosthetic valves—20 years vs. 10 to 15 years—they require a person to take a blood thinner (anticoagulant) lifelong to prevent blood clots from forming on the artificial valve.
What Type of Heart Valve Replacement May Be Best for You?
Heart Valve Open Surgery vs. Other Procedures
Open-heart surgeryis the traditional option for all valve replacements.
Alternative options include minimally invasive valve replacement surgeries and catheter-based surgical procedures. These techniques involve making smaller incisions (cuts) near the ribs to access the heart or using a catheter (tube) containing the compressed “new valve” and threading it into the heart via a blood vessel.
The choice of valve (mechanical vs. bioprosthetic) and the replacement approach (surgical vs. minimally invasive procedure) requires a thorough and careful decision-making process between the patient and a multidisciplinary heart valve team.
This multidisciplinary heart valve team often consists of the following:
A Collaborative ProcessSeveral factors are considered when choosing the type of heart valve to use and the surgery to implant it. They includePotential risks (e.g., bleeding or need for reoperation) and benefits of each approachSeverity of valve disease and valve involvedPerson’s age and estimated life expectancyThe presence of other health conditionsPerson’s preference
A Collaborative Process
Several factors are considered when choosing the type of heart valve to use and the surgery to implant it. They includePotential risks (e.g., bleeding or need for reoperation) and benefits of each approachSeverity of valve disease and valve involvedPerson’s age and estimated life expectancyThe presence of other health conditionsPerson’s preference
Several factors are considered when choosing the type of heart valve to use and the surgery to implant it. They include
Open-Heart Surgery
The breastbone is then sewn back together with small wires, and the muscles and skin on the chest wall are closed with sutures.
What Is Heart Valve Disease?
Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery
A cardiothoracic surgeon performs minimally invasive heart valve replacement surgeries in a hospital under general anesthesia.
The two main types of minimally invasive heart valve replacement surgeries are:
During these surgeries, surgeons insert a long, thin instrument with a small video camera attached inside one of the small incisions to visualize the heart. Other tools inserted through the same or additional incisions are used to replace the valve.
In some cases, the surgeonuses robotic instruments to perform the surgery. With this minimally invasive surgery, the surgeon uses a computer with special controls that guide the robot’s small arms, which have a camera and special instruments attached to them.
Catheter-Based Procedures
Catheter-based procedures are also a minimally invasive approach to heart valve replacements.
Catheter-based procedures include:
The nuances of each catheter-based technique are complex. However, the general steps of the above approaches include:
Does Valve Replacement Prolong Life Expectancy?
Research suggests that valve replacement improves life expectancy, although it’s still lower overall than in the general population.
Factors like surgical risk,age, and possibly the type of valve surgery performedcan affect the estimation of life expectancy after a valve replacement.
Post-Op Effects and Expectations
After a heart valve replacement, a person will likely spend a day or two in thecardiac intensive care unitbefore being transferred to a regular hospital cardiac care floor. To minimize the risk of complications, people are encouraged to move around and eat as soon as possible after surgery.
How Long Is the Hospital Stay?Assuming no major complications, a person can expect a two—to five-day hospital stay for minimally invasive heart surgeryand potentially shorter for a catheter-based surgical procedure (e.g., TAVR). The hospital stay for open heart surgery is longer, around a week.
How Long Is the Hospital Stay?
Assuming no major complications, a person can expect a two—to five-day hospital stay for minimally invasive heart surgeryand potentially shorter for a catheter-based surgical procedure (e.g., TAVR). The hospital stay for open heart surgery is longer, around a week.
Healing from a heart valve replacement is a slow process requiring support, effort, grit, and a positive mindset.
During recovery, you can expect some of the following:
After being discharged home, following your heart valve care team’s instructions is crucial. They will include detailed information about the following:
Recovery and Rehabilitation
Each person’s overall recovery from a heart valve replacement and how smooth and speedy it goes are unique. Many variables play into the healing process.
Some of these variables include:
According to the American Heart Association, a full recovery from a heart valve replacement generally takes four to eight weeks. However, his time frame may be shorter if a minimally invasive technique was performed.
Keep in mind that after you leave the hospital, your heart valve care team will likely advise you to join acardiac rehabilitation programas a critical step in your recovery.
Cardiac rehabilitation is a medically supervised program that provides exercise training and counseling on healthy lifestyle habits. The overall purpose is to optimize your recovery timeline, well-being, endurance, and level of support.
Complications, Risks, and Continuous Monitoring
The possible complications associated with heart valve replacement surgery depend on the type of valve implanted, the kind of surgery performed, the surgeon’s experience, and whether the person has underlying health issues.
While not a complete list, examples of potential complications include:
Attending your scheduled follow-up appointments with your provider or surgeon after a heart valve replacement is vital. They can closely monitor your heart using various tests to help prevent potential complications or address them before they get too serious.
Seeing your heart valve care team has the added benefit of providing comfort and support and ensuring that you feel your best physically and mentally.
Life After Valve Replacement
Research has found that heart valve replacement improves quality of life.If you (or a loved one) undergo a heart valve replacement, you should experience a more fulfilling and active lifestyle with fewer symptoms, more energy, and enhanced emotional well-being.
Summary
Heart valve replacement is a treatment option for a diseased or damaged valve. It involves replacing the faulty valve with either a manufactured one made of durable materials like titanium or one made of animal and, less commonly, human donor tissue.
Open-heart surgery, which involves making a large incision (cut) down the chest to expose the heart, has traditionally been used to replace heart valves.
However, less invasive surgeries that involve smaller incisions near the ribs or using a thin, hollow tube (catheter) to thread the new valve into the heart have emerged. These minimally invasive techniques, which are still progressing and evolving, allow for less pain and a shorter hospital stay.
Choosing the right surgical approach for replacing a valve and the type of valve is a complex decision that requires a careful conversation between the patient and their multidisciplinary heart valve care team.
21 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Heart Association.Role of your four heart valves.Armstrong GP.Overview of cardiac valvular disorders. InMerck Manual Professional Version. Merck & Co., Inc. 2023.Peters AS, Duggan JP, Trachiotis GD, Antevil JL.Epidemiology of Valvular Heart Disease.Surg Clin North Am. 2022 Jun;102(3):517-528. doi:10.1016/j.suc.2022.01.008Armstrong GP.Overview of Heart Valvular Disorders. InMerck Manual Consumer Version. Merck & Co., Inc. 2023.Harris C, Croce B, Cao C.Tissue and mechanical heart valves.Ann Cardiothorac Surg. 2015;4(4):399. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2225-319X.2015.07.01Konkle BA,, Nkomo VT.Antithrombotic therapy for mechanical heart valves. In: UpToDate, Otto CM, Leung LLK (Eds), Wolters Kluwer.Otto CM, Nishimura RA, Bonow RO, et al.2020 ACC/AHA guideline for the management of patients with valvular heart disease: executive summary: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines.Circulation. 2021 Feb 2;143(5):e35-e71. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000932Brecker SJ, Aldea GS.Choice of intervention for severe calcific aortic stenosis. In: UpToDate, Cutlip D (Ed), Wolters Kluwer.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart Surgery: What to Expect During SurgeryPenn Medicine.Minimally invasive heart surgery.Noble S, Mauler-Wittwer S.TAVR as an alternative to SAVR for pure native aortic regurgitation.Can J Cardiol.2024;40(2):316-325. doi:10.1016/j.cjca.2023.11.023Chau AK.Transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement in congenital heart diseases.Pediatr Investig. 2022;6(4):280-290. doi:10.1002/ped4.12359Otto CM.Management and prognosis of tricuspid regurgitation. In: UpToDate, Zoghbi WA (Ed), Wolters Kluwer.Penn Medicine.What is transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)?Glaser N, Persson M, Franco-Cereceda A, Sartipy U.Cause of death after surgical aortic valve replacement: SWEDEHEART observational study.J Am Heart Assoc. 2021;10(22):e022627. doi:10.1161/JAHA.121.022627Agarwal S, Garg A, Parashar A, et al.In-hospital mortality and stroke after surgical aortic valve replacement: a nationwide perspective.J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2015;150(3):571-8.e8. doi:10.1016/j.jtcvs.2015.05.068El-Andari R, Fialka NM, Shan S, White A, Manikala VK, Wang S.Aortic valve replacement: Is minimally invasive really better? A contemporary systematic review and meta-analysis.Cardiol Rev. 2024;32(3):217-242. doi: 10.1097/CRD.0000000000000488Society of Thoracic Surgeons.What to expect after heart surgery.American Heart Association.Heart valve surgery recovery and follow up.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart surgery: recovery.Al-Ebrahim KE, Albishri SA, Alotaibi SW, et al.The quality of life in patients with valve prosthesis after undergoing surgery for valvular heart diseases.Cureus. 2023;15(8):e43030. doi:10.7759/cureus.43030
21 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Heart Association.Role of your four heart valves.Armstrong GP.Overview of cardiac valvular disorders. InMerck Manual Professional Version. Merck & Co., Inc. 2023.Peters AS, Duggan JP, Trachiotis GD, Antevil JL.Epidemiology of Valvular Heart Disease.Surg Clin North Am. 2022 Jun;102(3):517-528. doi:10.1016/j.suc.2022.01.008Armstrong GP.Overview of Heart Valvular Disorders. InMerck Manual Consumer Version. Merck & Co., Inc. 2023.Harris C, Croce B, Cao C.Tissue and mechanical heart valves.Ann Cardiothorac Surg. 2015;4(4):399. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2225-319X.2015.07.01Konkle BA,, Nkomo VT.Antithrombotic therapy for mechanical heart valves. In: UpToDate, Otto CM, Leung LLK (Eds), Wolters Kluwer.Otto CM, Nishimura RA, Bonow RO, et al.2020 ACC/AHA guideline for the management of patients with valvular heart disease: executive summary: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines.Circulation. 2021 Feb 2;143(5):e35-e71. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000932Brecker SJ, Aldea GS.Choice of intervention for severe calcific aortic stenosis. In: UpToDate, Cutlip D (Ed), Wolters Kluwer.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart Surgery: What to Expect During SurgeryPenn Medicine.Minimally invasive heart surgery.Noble S, Mauler-Wittwer S.TAVR as an alternative to SAVR for pure native aortic regurgitation.Can J Cardiol.2024;40(2):316-325. doi:10.1016/j.cjca.2023.11.023Chau AK.Transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement in congenital heart diseases.Pediatr Investig. 2022;6(4):280-290. doi:10.1002/ped4.12359Otto CM.Management and prognosis of tricuspid regurgitation. In: UpToDate, Zoghbi WA (Ed), Wolters Kluwer.Penn Medicine.What is transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)?Glaser N, Persson M, Franco-Cereceda A, Sartipy U.Cause of death after surgical aortic valve replacement: SWEDEHEART observational study.J Am Heart Assoc. 2021;10(22):e022627. doi:10.1161/JAHA.121.022627Agarwal S, Garg A, Parashar A, et al.In-hospital mortality and stroke after surgical aortic valve replacement: a nationwide perspective.J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2015;150(3):571-8.e8. doi:10.1016/j.jtcvs.2015.05.068El-Andari R, Fialka NM, Shan S, White A, Manikala VK, Wang S.Aortic valve replacement: Is minimally invasive really better? A contemporary systematic review and meta-analysis.Cardiol Rev. 2024;32(3):217-242. doi: 10.1097/CRD.0000000000000488Society of Thoracic Surgeons.What to expect after heart surgery.American Heart Association.Heart valve surgery recovery and follow up.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart surgery: recovery.Al-Ebrahim KE, Albishri SA, Alotaibi SW, et al.The quality of life in patients with valve prosthesis after undergoing surgery for valvular heart diseases.Cureus. 2023;15(8):e43030. doi:10.7759/cureus.43030
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Heart Association.Role of your four heart valves.Armstrong GP.Overview of cardiac valvular disorders. InMerck Manual Professional Version. Merck & Co., Inc. 2023.Peters AS, Duggan JP, Trachiotis GD, Antevil JL.Epidemiology of Valvular Heart Disease.Surg Clin North Am. 2022 Jun;102(3):517-528. doi:10.1016/j.suc.2022.01.008Armstrong GP.Overview of Heart Valvular Disorders. InMerck Manual Consumer Version. Merck & Co., Inc. 2023.Harris C, Croce B, Cao C.Tissue and mechanical heart valves.Ann Cardiothorac Surg. 2015;4(4):399. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2225-319X.2015.07.01Konkle BA,, Nkomo VT.Antithrombotic therapy for mechanical heart valves. In: UpToDate, Otto CM, Leung LLK (Eds), Wolters Kluwer.Otto CM, Nishimura RA, Bonow RO, et al.2020 ACC/AHA guideline for the management of patients with valvular heart disease: executive summary: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines.Circulation. 2021 Feb 2;143(5):e35-e71. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000932Brecker SJ, Aldea GS.Choice of intervention for severe calcific aortic stenosis. In: UpToDate, Cutlip D (Ed), Wolters Kluwer.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart Surgery: What to Expect During SurgeryPenn Medicine.Minimally invasive heart surgery.Noble S, Mauler-Wittwer S.TAVR as an alternative to SAVR for pure native aortic regurgitation.Can J Cardiol.2024;40(2):316-325. doi:10.1016/j.cjca.2023.11.023Chau AK.Transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement in congenital heart diseases.Pediatr Investig. 2022;6(4):280-290. doi:10.1002/ped4.12359Otto CM.Management and prognosis of tricuspid regurgitation. In: UpToDate, Zoghbi WA (Ed), Wolters Kluwer.Penn Medicine.What is transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)?Glaser N, Persson M, Franco-Cereceda A, Sartipy U.Cause of death after surgical aortic valve replacement: SWEDEHEART observational study.J Am Heart Assoc. 2021;10(22):e022627. doi:10.1161/JAHA.121.022627Agarwal S, Garg A, Parashar A, et al.In-hospital mortality and stroke after surgical aortic valve replacement: a nationwide perspective.J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2015;150(3):571-8.e8. doi:10.1016/j.jtcvs.2015.05.068El-Andari R, Fialka NM, Shan S, White A, Manikala VK, Wang S.Aortic valve replacement: Is minimally invasive really better? A contemporary systematic review and meta-analysis.Cardiol Rev. 2024;32(3):217-242. doi: 10.1097/CRD.0000000000000488Society of Thoracic Surgeons.What to expect after heart surgery.American Heart Association.Heart valve surgery recovery and follow up.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart surgery: recovery.Al-Ebrahim KE, Albishri SA, Alotaibi SW, et al.The quality of life in patients with valve prosthesis after undergoing surgery for valvular heart diseases.Cureus. 2023;15(8):e43030. doi:10.7759/cureus.43030
American Heart Association.Role of your four heart valves.
Armstrong GP.Overview of cardiac valvular disorders. InMerck Manual Professional Version. Merck & Co., Inc. 2023.
Peters AS, Duggan JP, Trachiotis GD, Antevil JL.Epidemiology of Valvular Heart Disease.Surg Clin North Am. 2022 Jun;102(3):517-528. doi:10.1016/j.suc.2022.01.008
Armstrong GP.Overview of Heart Valvular Disorders. InMerck Manual Consumer Version. Merck & Co., Inc. 2023.
Harris C, Croce B, Cao C.Tissue and mechanical heart valves.Ann Cardiothorac Surg. 2015;4(4):399. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2225-319X.2015.07.01
Konkle BA,, Nkomo VT.Antithrombotic therapy for mechanical heart valves. In: UpToDate, Otto CM, Leung LLK (Eds), Wolters Kluwer.
Otto CM, Nishimura RA, Bonow RO, et al.2020 ACC/AHA guideline for the management of patients with valvular heart disease: executive summary: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines.Circulation. 2021 Feb 2;143(5):e35-e71. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000932
Brecker SJ, Aldea GS.Choice of intervention for severe calcific aortic stenosis. In: UpToDate, Cutlip D (Ed), Wolters Kluwer.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart Surgery: What to Expect During Surgery
Penn Medicine.Minimally invasive heart surgery.
Noble S, Mauler-Wittwer S.TAVR as an alternative to SAVR for pure native aortic regurgitation.Can J Cardiol.2024;40(2):316-325. doi:10.1016/j.cjca.2023.11.023
Chau AK.Transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement in congenital heart diseases.Pediatr Investig. 2022;6(4):280-290. doi:10.1002/ped4.12359
Otto CM.Management and prognosis of tricuspid regurgitation. In: UpToDate, Zoghbi WA (Ed), Wolters Kluwer.
Penn Medicine.What is transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)?
Glaser N, Persson M, Franco-Cereceda A, Sartipy U.Cause of death after surgical aortic valve replacement: SWEDEHEART observational study.J Am Heart Assoc. 2021;10(22):e022627. doi:10.1161/JAHA.121.022627
Agarwal S, Garg A, Parashar A, et al.In-hospital mortality and stroke after surgical aortic valve replacement: a nationwide perspective.J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2015;150(3):571-8.e8. doi:10.1016/j.jtcvs.2015.05.068
El-Andari R, Fialka NM, Shan S, White A, Manikala VK, Wang S.Aortic valve replacement: Is minimally invasive really better? A contemporary systematic review and meta-analysis.Cardiol Rev. 2024;32(3):217-242. doi: 10.1097/CRD.0000000000000488
Society of Thoracic Surgeons.What to expect after heart surgery.
American Heart Association.Heart valve surgery recovery and follow up.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Heart surgery: recovery.
Al-Ebrahim KE, Albishri SA, Alotaibi SW, et al.The quality of life in patients with valve prosthesis after undergoing surgery for valvular heart diseases.Cureus. 2023;15(8):e43030. doi:10.7759/cureus.43030
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
