MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia:Heart valve surgery

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Heart valve surgery - series: Indications

Heart valve surgery - seriesIllustrations:

Indications

Heart valve replacement may be recommended for:

narrowing of the heart valve (stenosis)
leaking of the heart valve

Valve problems may be caused by infections (rheumatic fever) or birth defects and may cause heart failure (congestive heart failure) and infections (infective endocarditis).

The surgery is done while the patient is deep-asleep and pain-free (general anesthesia). An incision is made through the breast bone (sternum).

Update Date: 8/21/2006

Updated by: John A. Daller, MD, PhD., Department of Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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