Aortic Valve Replacement Program

Overview

The Aortic Valve Replacement Program provides minimally invasive procedures to replace your aortic valve when it is too damaged to function properly. The procedure may be needed if you have aortic valve disease or other problems with this valve.

The aortic valve connects your left ventricle, the chamber that pumps blood from your heart to the rest of your body, with your aorta, the major artery that carries your blood away from the heart. The aortic valve opens to let blood flow and closes to prevent it from leaking back into your heart.

If the aortic valve doesn’t close properly, blood can leak backward into the left ventricle. If it cannot open fully, it can restrict blood flow from the heart into the aorta. These issues are forms of aortic valve disease. Over time, your heart to work harder and can damage the heart, which can become life-threatening. Aortic valve disease can have several causes, including age-related changes and other medical conditions.

Our program consists of a multidisciplinary team of experts, led by world-renowned heart surgeons and cardiologists. As a leading cardiac center in the region, we offer access to the latest aortic valve replacement techniques, many of which are not widely available elsewhere.

What We Treat

Aortic valve replacement may be needed if you have an issue with the valve, which may include:

Aortic regurgitation: This is when the valve doesn’t close tightly and blood leaks backwards. Aortic valve regurgitation may be classified as acute, meaning it happens quickly and suddenly, or chronic, which means it develops gradually.
Aortic stenosis: This is when the valve becomes narrow or blocked. As a result, not enough blood can pass through the valve and into the aorta.

Diagnosis & Treatment

Diagnosis of Aortic Valve Disease

Aortic valve disease may have no symptoms in the early stages. As it progresses, symptoms may include:

Chest pain

Dizziness/fainting

Fatigue

Heart palpitations

Shortness of breath

Swelling of the feet and ankles

The most common cause of aortic valve disease is wear and tear as you age. Calcium may also build up on the valve leaflets (flaps) over time, which causes them to stiffen and they can’t open and close properly. Other causes of aortic valve disease may include:

Aortic dissection (a tear in the inner layer of the aorta)

Congenital heart disease

Endocarditis

Radiation to the chest

Rheumatic heart disease

Thoracic aortic aneurysm

Trauma

Aortic valve disease is diagnosed by performing a physical exam, listening to your chest with a stethoscope and doing tests, which may include:

Electrocardiogram (ECG)

Echocardiogram

Cardiac CT scan or MRI

Heart catheterization

Stress test

Aortic Valve Replacement Procedures

If you have mild aortic stenosis or regurgitation, then you may not need valve replacement immediately. Your doctor may recommend monitoring and, in some cases, medications to manage symptoms and related conditions. If your aortic valve disease is severe or causing symptoms, valve replacement may be recommended.

Our program offers the complete range of aortic valve replacement options. The Heart Team selects the most appropriate approach based on your age, anatomy, overall health, surgical risk, and many other individual factors, and then discusses valve choice (tissue or mechanical) with you.

Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR): We offer a range of minimally invasive surgical approaches such as mini-sternotomy, and rapid-deployment valve options for suitable candidates.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR): A catheter-based procedure that replaces the aortic valve without open-heart surgery. The replacement is typically delivered through the femoral artery for suitable patients, based on factors such as age, anatomy, overall health and surgical risk.

Compared with traditional open-heart surgery, minimally invasive replacement techniques can offer many benefits to selected patients.

Minimally invasive surgical approaches may result in smaller incisions, less scarring and a shorter recovery for suitable patients. TAVR is performed through a catheter rather than through traditional open-heart surgery and may allow some patients to recover more quickly.

Aortic Valve Replacement Program

Overview

What We Treat

Diagnosis & Treatment

Meet Our Team

Doctors who can Help

Gopal Bhatnagar, MD

Mitesh V. Badiwala, MD