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Heart Valves

Problems with Your Heart Valves

If a valve doesn't open all the way, less blood moves through to the next chamber. If a valve doesn't close tightly, blood may leak backward. These problems may mean that the heart must work harder to pump the same amount of blood. Or, blood may back up in the lungs or body because it's not moving through the heart as it should.

Problems Opening

Stenosis occurs when a valve doesn't open fully. The valve may have become hardened or stiff with calcium deposits or scarring. So, it's hard to push open. Blood has to flow through a smaller opening, so less blood gets through the valve into the next chamber.

Problems Closing

Insufficiency (also called regurgitation) results when the valve doesn't close tightly. The valve's supportive structures may be loose or torn. Or, the valve itself may have stretched or thinned. Blood may then leak back the wrong way through the valve.

Heart Valve Surgery

During heart valve surgery, one or more valves are repaired or replaced. Repair means that the valve is mended to help it work better. Replacement means your diseased valve is removed and a new valve is inserted in its place. Whether a valve will be repaired or replaced can only be decided once surgery has begun. Your surgeon will talk with you about his or her plans for surgery and any other procedures you may need.

Repairing a Valve

During valve repair, a ring may be sewn around the opening of the valve to tighten it. Other parts of the valve may be cut, shortened, separated, or made stronger to help the valve open and close right.

Replacing a Valve

If a valve can't be repaired, it may be replaced with a prosthetic valve. Two kinds of prosthetic heart valves are available:

Mechanical valves are created from man-made materials. Lifetime therapy with an anticoagulant (sometimes called a "blood thinner") is needed when these types of valves are used. This medication prevents blood clots from forming on or around the valve.

Biological (tissue) valves are taken from pig, cow, or human donors. These valves don't last as long as mechanical valves. But when tissue valves are used, long-term use of an anticoagulant often isn't needed.

Your doctor will talk with you about choosing the best valve for you. Factors weighed include your age, your occupation, the size of your valve, how well your heart is working, your heart's rhythm, your ability to take an anticoagulant, and how many new valves you need.

Reaching Your Heart

To get to your heart, one or more incisions must be made in your chest. For minimally invasive valve surgery, these incisions are most often much smaller than those made for traditional valve surgery. One of two types of incisions may be used. Which type your surgeon chooses depends on the location of the valve and the method of surgery used. Your surgeon will talk with you about which incision you will receive.

Stopping Your Heart

During valve surgery, your heart must not beat. To keep your blood flowing, it is passed through a heart-lung machine. This machine gives oxygen to your blood and pumps the blood back through your body. Your surgeon may choose to connect your body to the machine through the vessels in your heart or through vessels in your groin. Once the valve surgery is done, your heart and lungs take over again.

Repairing or Replacing the Valve

To reach the valve, an incision is made in your heart or aorta. If the valve can be mended, the needed repairs are done. If the valve must be replaced, part or all of the damaged valve and its supportive structures may be removed. The right-sized replacement valve is selected, positioned in the valve opening, and sewn firmly into place. The incision in your heart or aorta is closed. Your heart is then started so it beats on its own again.

For more information on Valve Replacement contact Consult A Nurse at 843-797-3463.

Our heart and vascular patients have access to an experienced team of physicians, nurses, clinicians and rehabilitation specialists.
Find a Doctor

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Consult-A-Nurse® at

1-843-847-3463


What our patients say...


"Everybody is shocked that I’m doing so well. They didn’t believe I’d had an operation.” – Delores Brown, heart surgery patient
Read more of Delores' story»

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Watch a brief video featuring Dr. William Yarbrough, cardiologist at Trident Medical Center, discussing life saving actions you can take when experiencing chest pain.

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