Heart valve replacement surgery is often performed in extreme cases of stenosis or insufficiency after drug therapy has not proven effective. The following is a step by step walkthrough of a heart valve replacement procedure.
An incision is made in the breastbone and the
pericardium
is cut open.
The heart is connected to the artificial heart-lung
machine. The heart is stopped.
An incision is made in the aorta
to reach the aortic
valve
The valve
is carefully cut out
The
new valve is sewn in
The
incision in the aorta is sewn closed and the heart is restarted.
Find out more
about the different types of replacement valves
currently in use.
