Valve Replacement and Valve Repair Surgery

The heart valves open and close, controlling the direction of blood flow through your heart. There are four valves in your heart: the aortic, mitral, tricuspid and pulmonary valves. Heart valve surgery is done to repair or replace diseased heart valves.

Your surgeon may recommend heart valve surgery for either narrowing of the valve or a leaking valve. Valve problems may be caused by infections such as rheumatic fever, birth defects, calcification, or certain medications such as Fen-Phen. Defective valves may cause congestive heart failure and infections.

Heart valve surgery is open-heart surgery done while the patient is under general anesthesia. Providence Heart & Vascular Institute surgeons also do minimally invasive valve procedures.