Heart valve repair surgery in Türkiye

What is heart valve repair?

Valve repair may be done to open a hardened (narrowed) heart valve. In valve repair surgery, your doctor inserts a small, narrow, hollow tube (catheter) into a blood vessel in the groin and threads it through the aorta into the heart.

Once the catheter is in the stiffened valve, your doctor inflates a large balloon at the tip of the catheter so that the valve flaps open. Once the valve is opened, the doctor will deflate the balloon and remove the catheter.

To keep blood flowing forward during its journey through the heart, there are valves between each of the heart’s pumping chambers:

• Tricuspid valve. It is located between the right atrium and the right ventricle
• The pulmonary (or pulmonary) valve. It is located between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery
• metric valve. It is located between the left atrium and the left ventricle
• Aortic valve . Located between the left ventricle and the aorta

Why might I need a heart valve repair?

Valve repair may be done to open a heart valve that has become rigid. However, not all cases in which a heart valve becomes stiff can be treated with valve repair.

If heart valves become damaged or diseased, they may not work properly. Conditions that may cause problems with the heart valves are stenosis (stiff valve) and valvular regurgitation (leaky valve).

When one (or more) valves become stiff, the heart muscle has to work harder to pump blood through the valve. Stiff valves may be caused by infection (such as rheumatic fever or a staph infection), birth defects, and aging.

If one or more valves become leaky, blood leaks backward and less blood is pumped in the right direction.

Heart valve disease may cause the following symptoms:

• Dizziness
• Source
• difficulty breathing
• palpitations
• Edema (swelling) of the feet, ankles or abdomen
• Rapid weight gain due to fluid retention
• There may be other reasons for your doctor to recommend valvuloplasty.

How do I prepare for this procedure?

• Plan your care and recovery after the operation. Allow time to rest and try to find people to help you with your daily duties.
• If you need mild pain relievers in the week before surgery, choose acetaminophen over aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen. This helps avoid excessive bleeding during surgery. If you take a daily aspirin for a medical condition, ask your doctor if you need to stop taking it before surgery.
• Follow your doctor’s instructions about not smoking before and after the procedure. Smokers recover slower after surgery. They are also more likely to have breathing problems during surgery. For these reasons, if you are a smoker, you should quit at least 2 weeks prior to the procedure. It is best to leave 6 to 8 weeks before surgery.
• Do not eat or drink anything after midnight and in the morning before the operation. Take a shower and wash your hair with a special anti-infective soap the night before the procedure.
• Follow any other instructions your doctor gives you.

What happens during heart valve repair?

• You will get general anesthesia. The medicine will relax your muscles and put you into a sound sleep, preventing you from feeling pain during the procedure.
• The surgeon will make a cut (incision) in your chest and divide the sternum (the flat bone in the center of the chest). You will be connected to a heart-lung machine, which will take over the work of your heart and lungs during the procedure. The surgeon will then stop your heart, and make a cut in your heart to access and repair the valve.
• The surgeon will then close the incision in your heart and restart your heart. You will be taken off the heart-lung machine. The surgeon will then close the chest incision by joining the sternum (breastbone) together and then closing the skin with sutures. Some tubes may be left in your chest cut to drain any blood or fluids.

What happens after the operation ?

You may stay in the hospital for 3 to 10 days, depending on your condition. You will be in the intensive care unit (ICU) or intermediate care unit for several days for observation and monitoring. An electrocardiogram (ECG) will record your heart’s rhythm.

You will be given respiratory therapy to prevent any complications in your lungs, such as a collapsed lung, infection, or pneumonia. A nurse or therapist will give the treatment every few hours. It is very important to cooperate and order pain relievers if you need them. Treatment may include:

• Deep breathing exercises
• Cough while placing a pillow on your chest to protect your breastbone
• chest percussion, which is a gentle slapping on the back to help loosen lung secretions that may have collected in your lungs after surgery
• Move your legs to reduce the chance of blood clots

While in the ICU, you may have the following tubes in your body to help with healing:

• A breathing tube connected to a ventilator to help you breathe
• A tube passed through your nose into your stomach to drain normal fluids that may be causing you discomfort when you’re not eating
• Bladder catheterization to empty the bladder
• IV tubes in your arms or near your collarbone to get fluids, nutrition, and medications
• Chest tubes to drain blood from the chest cavity and to help detect any excessive bleeding in your chest
• An arteriovenous line in your forearm to measure the pressure of blood flowing through your arteries

When you have recovered enough, your tubes will be removed and you will go to the intermediate care unit until you are ready to leave hospital. You will have physical therapy, including walking around the hospital and other activities. You will be taught how to move your upper arms without hurting your sternum, and you will continue with respiratory therapy. Occupational therapy will help you learn to take it easy when you go about your daily activities.

Ask your doctor if you should take antibiotics before dental work or procedures involving the rectum, bladder, or vagina. Damaged valves are more likely to be infected with bacteria. Injury to the valve can further damage and even destroy it. Antibiotics can prevent this.

Also ask your doctor:

• How long will it take to recover
• What activities should you avoid and when can you return to your normal activities
• How to take care of yourself at home
• What symptoms or problems should you look out for and what to do if you have them?

Make sure you know when to return for the scan.

What are the risks of heart valve repair?

Your doctor will explain the procedure and any risks to you. Some potential risks include:

• Depending on your age and the condition of your heart and valve.
• Anesthesia has some risks. Discuss these risks with your healthcare provider.
• You may have an infection or bleeding.
• Or the repaired valve may not work as planned, or the repair may not proceed.
• You may need to repeat this process or you may need to replace the valve.

Every procedure or treatment has risks. Ask your provider how these risks apply to you. Be sure to discuss any other questions or concerns you may have.

Heart valve repair surgery in Türkiye

Many patients come to Türkiye for heart valve repair surgery in Türkiye.

REHABTÜRK HEALTHCARE PROVIDER NETWORK treatment services to patients in addition to transportation, accommodation and full trip coordination services.
Heart valve repair in Türkiye requires an average of about two weeks of stay in Istanbul.

Patients receive intensive post-operative care to check their condition and satisfaction after heart valve repair. In addition, our patient support team is available 24/7.

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