An aortic valve replacement is a type of open heart surgery used to treat problems with the heart's aortic valve.
The aortic valve controls the flow of blood out from the heart to the rest of the body.
An aortic valve replacement involves removing a faulty or damaged valve and replacing it with a new valve made from synthetic materials or animal tissue.
It's a major operation that isn't suitable for everyone and can take a long time to recover from.
The aortic valve may need to be replaced for 2 reasons:
the valve has become narrowed (aortic stenosis) – the opening of the valve becomes smaller, obstructing the flow of blood out of the heart
the valve is leaky (aortic regurgitation) – the valve allows blood to flow back through into the heart
The problems can get worse over time and in severe cases can lead to life-threatening problems such as heart failure if left untreated.
There are no medicines to treat aortic valve problems, so replacing the valve will be recommended if you're at risk of serious complications but are otherwise well enough to have surgery.
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