Heart Valve Repair or Replacement Surgery
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The human heart is a vital part of the human body and is one of, if not the most important organ of the human body. If the human heart stops functioning, the person is technically dead. The heart is responsible for the circulation and pumping of blood in humans. The heart consists of four chambers, the upper chamber is divided into two (right and left arteries), as is the lower chamber (left and right ventricle). At the entrance to these chambers are valves that ensure that the blood only moves in one direction. The cusps, a set of tissues located in the valves, are responsible for opening and closing the valves.
The heart has four valves: the pulmonary valve, the aortic valve, the tricuspid valve and the mitral valve.
When the heart valves are damaged, they need to be repaired or replaced. The replacement or repair is called heart valve repair or replacement surgery. When a heart valve is damaged, the heart finds it harder to pump blood and, in some cases, if the valve leaks, the blood is not pumped as well in the right direction. Normally, valves prevent blood from flowing back to where it was pumped from. The valve has three smooth cusps that open wide and close tightly. If it is damaged, it can leak or be leaky. When the valve leaks, the pumped blood flows back into the ventricle instead of in the desired direction. On the other hand, when the valve is narrow, it limits the amount of blood that leaves the ventricle. This makes it difficult for the heart to continue pumping blood at its usual rate, resulting in an interruption of blood flow.
Over time, the defective valves can cause the heart muscles to become enlarged or weakened in a dependent way. In some severe cases, the walls of the left ventricle may become thick or thin, which may also affect the right ventricle. This then leads to heart failure.
Valve replacement is a medical procedure performed to replace a defective valve and restore its normal function. Valve replacement is a very delicate procedure because the human heart is stopped during this procedure. Thanks to technology replacement has become popular over the yer. Technology has provided us with two options for heart valve replacement:
Artificial heart valves
Tissue valves
Artificial valves, also known as mechanical valves, are made from a special type of carbon called paracellular carbon. The advantage of paracellular carbon is that it is durable and in most cases will last a lifetime. The only disadvantage of the mechanical valve is that patients must take anticoagulant medication on a regular basis. This medication is designed to prevent blood clots from forming.
Tissue valves, also known as biological valves, are derived from animal tissue and are very similar to the original valves. The good news is that patients do not have to take the blood-thinning drugs. The good news is that patients do not have to take anticoagulant drugs. However, tissue valves do not last very long, and replacement surgery may be necessary in the future.
The replacement procedure is also an amazing piece of engineering, as the heart is stopped and the cardiopulmonary bypass or heart-lung machine is used to continue pumping blood through the body. The heart-lung machine takes over from the heart and continues the work of the heart. It is also amazing to see how the heart comes back to life and can continue to pump without any problems with the new valves in place.
