Valvular Surgery
Patients will benefit from our long history of internationally recognized contributions in the treatment of valvular heart disease.
These contributions include:
- Site of extensive clinical trials extending over 30 years on bioprosthetic or "tissue" valves for the treatment of valvular heart disease
- Discovery of important new knowledge concerning the pathophysiology and treatment of mitral valve disease
- Development of an active valve-sparing aortic root replacement program that saves the patient's own aortic valve in cases of an aneurysm of the ascending aorta (applicable both for patients who have connective tissue disorders, e.g. Marfan syndrome, and those who do not)
Many of these novel discoveries can directly benefit your patients through their translation into clinical treatment for mitral valve pathology that has led to improved outcomes, particularly in the area of mitral valve repair.
Heart valves can have one of two malfunctions:
- Regurgitation: The valve(s) does not close completely, causing the blood to flow backward instead of forward through the valve
- Stenosis: The valve(s) opening becomes narrowed or does not form properly, inhibiting the flow of blood out of the ventricle or atria. The heart is forced to pump blood with increased force in order to move blood through the stiff (stenotic) valve(s).
Heart valves can have both malfunctions at the same time (regurgitation and stenosis). When heart valves fail to open and close properly, the implications for the heart can be serious, possibly hampering the heart's ability to pump blood adequately through the body. Heart valve problems are one cause of heart failure.
Your aortic valve can be surgically replaced in a couple of ways:
- Aortic valve replacement with a preserved donor valve
- Aortic valve replacement with a mechanical valve
More services and treatments for valvular heart disease:
- Minimally invasive, limited incision valve repair and valve replacement
- Use of stentless aortic valves
- Advanced mitral valve repair for mitral prolapse and congestive heart failure
- Valve-sparing aortic root replacement
- Adjunctive procedures for atrial fibrillation