Success rate of heart valve replacement surgery

Today's medical technology is relatively advanced, and the success rate of some surgeries is also quite high. The most common one is the heart valve replacement surgery. This surgery is actually very difficult, but the success rate is actually very high now. So if you need to do this surgery, don't worry too much. As long as you adjust your mentality, you can complete it very easily.

Due to the different extent and location of valve damage, the patient's symptoms are also different. The most common site of damage is the mitral valve, followed by the aortic valve, as described below:

When the mitral valve is narrowed, the blood from the left atrium cannot flow smoothly into the left ventricle, the blood in the left main atrium increases, the pressure increases, causing left atrial hypertrophy and dilation, the pressure of the pulmonary veins and pulmonary capillaries also increases at any time, causing dilation and congestion, forming chronic pulmonary obstructive congestion, and the patient has difficulty breathing during physical activities. In severe cases, the patient may sit up and breathe or have paroxysmal dyspnea at night, and the cough worsens, often accompanied by hemoptysis, cyanosis and pulmonary edema (coughing up a lot of pink foamy sputum).

At this point, left atrial failure has occurred. The continued progression of the disease leads to pulmonary hypertension, and the right ventricle becomes thickened and enlarged due to the increased burden, eventually leading to right heart failure, causing venous congestion, enlarged and painful liver, subcutaneous edema and ascites, etc.

A diastolic murmur may be heard on cardiac auscultation. X-ray examination showed enlargement of the left atrium and right ventricle. Electrocardiogram examination can reveal abnormalities such as left atrial and right ventricular hypertrophy.

When the mitral valve is incompletely regurgitated, the blood volume in the left atrium increases due to blood reflux, causing the left atrium to expand and hypertrophy. When the ventricle relaxes, the excess blood in the left atrium flows back to the left ventricle, causing the left ventricle to enlarge and thicken, and gradually lose its compensatory function. This is followed by pulmonary congestion and increased pulmonary artery pressure, which causes right ventricular hypertrophy and expansion. If the heart's compensatory function is good, the patient may have no obvious symptoms. If the compensatory ability is lost, the patient may experience symptoms of left heart failure such as fatigue, palpitations, and dyspnea after exertion. Finally, symptoms of right heart failure such as edema and abdominal distension may appear.

Auscultation of the heart may reveal a clear systolic murmur. X-ray examination shows that the left atrium and left ventricle are enlarged. Electrocardiogram examination may show abnormal findings.

Aortic valve regurgitation causes an increase in left ventricular blood volume, resulting in compensatory dilation and hypertrophy. Patients with mild lesions or strong compensatory ability may be asymptomatic for a long time. Those with obvious lesions may experience palpitations, shortness of breath, discomfort in the precordial area and a throbbing sensation in the head. A few people have angina pectoris, and severe cases may have symptoms of left heart failure.

Blood pressure measurement shows that the patient's systolic blood pressure increases, diastolic blood pressure decreases, and capillary pulsation can be seen on the lips and nails (the pulsation under the nail bed is more obvious when light pressure is applied to the nails). X-ray examination shows that the heart is enlarged to the lower left and is boot-shaped, also known as the aortic valve type heart. Electrocardiogram (ECG) may be normal or abnormal.

When the aortic valve is narrowed, compensatory hypertrophy and dilation occur due to obstruction of left ventricular blood discharge. Severe stenosis can cause reduced coronary blood flow and insufficient blood supply to the brain. In mild cases, there may be no obvious symptoms, while in severe cases, there may be dizziness or fainting due to cerebral ischemia, or angina pectoris due to insufficient blood supply to the coronary arteries and myocardial hypertrophy, or even sudden death. In the late stage, there may be symptoms of left heart failure.

Auscultation of the heart may reveal a systolic murmur in the aortic valve area. X-ray examination may show left ventricular hypertrophy and enlargement. Abnormal changes can be seen in the electrocardiogram.

Combined valvular disease: When a patient has two or more valvular lesions at the same time, it is called combined valvular disease. The patient's symptoms are basically a comprehensive manifestation of various valve lesions.