By What are the risks of heart valve surgery?
Possible risks of heart valve repair or replacement surgery include:
- Bleeding during or after the surgery.
- Blood clots that can cause heart attack, stroke, or lung problems.
- Infection.
- Pneumonia.
- Pancreatitis.
- Breathing problems.
- Arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms)
- The repaired or replaced valve doesn’t work correctly.
How serious is a heart valve replacement?
The risk of dying from an aortic valve replacement is around 1 to 3%, although this risk is much smaller than that of leaving severe aortic valve problems untreated. Most people who survive surgery have a life expectancy close to normal. Read more about the risks of aortic valve replacement.
What is the average life expectancy after heart valve replacement?
For aortic valve-replacement patients in general, this loss was 1.9 years. Without treatment, however, the mean survival for these patients is two to three years. The researchers found no differences in loss of life expectancy between women and men.
How serious is heart valve replacement surgery?
Valve replacement surgery has a high rate of success and a low risk of causing other problems if you are otherwise healthy. Although most people have successful outcomes, there is a risk of death and serious problems during surgery. Valve replacement surgery is high-risk for people who have a failing left ventricle and who have had a heart attack.
What is the life expectancy of a heart valve replacement?
According to its research, “the mean age of patients presenting for valve surgery is increasing, as is the life expectancy following valve surgery.” If you look at the graph above, you can see that life expectancy ranges from 29.9 years to 14.3 years for patients experiencing heart valve surgery between the age range of 50 to 70.
What to expect after heart valve surgery?
The normal recovery time after a heart valve surgery is usually four to eight weeks, and may be shorter after minimally invasive surgeries. Immediately after surgery. Immediately after surgery, people are usually practicing very basic self-care and are soon encouraged to get up, to breathe deeply, and to resume eating, drinking and walking.
What are the risks of a heart valve replacement?
Heart valve surgery risks may include: Bleeding. Heart attack. Infection. Valve dysfunction in replacement valve. Irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia) Stroke. Death.