Dr. Arup Kumar Ghosh

Heart valve replacement is a surgical procedure to replace a heart valve that is not working properly. The heart has four valves, and their job is to keep blood flowing in the correct direction through the heart’s chambers and out to the body.

A heart valve replacement might sound overwhelming, but it’s a very common and effective surgery that can truly change your life. At its core, it’s a procedure to fix a broken heart valve.

Think of your heart valves as tiny, one-way doors that keep blood flowing in the right direction. When a valve isn’t working properly, it can cause problems in two main ways:

• It can get stiff or narrowed, which means it can’t open all the way. This forces your heart to work extra hard to pump blood through a tight opening.
• It can become leaky, meaning it doesn’t close all the way, allowing blood to leak backward.

When a valve is too damaged to be repaired, the best solution is to replace it. During the surgery, the old valve is removed and a new one is put in its place. Your new valve will be either:

• A Mechanical Valve: These are built to last a very long time, made from strong, man-made materials. The trade-off is that you’ll need to take blood-thinning medication for the rest of your life to prevent clots.
• A Biological Valve: These are made from natural tissue, often from a cow or pig. They don’t usually require long-term blood thinners, but they may need to be replaced sometime in the future, typically after 10 to 15 years, as they can wear out.

Choosing the right valve is a big decision that you and your doctor will make together. No matter which option is best for you, the goal of the surgery is the same: to fix your symptoms, improve your quality of life, and get you back to living a healthy, active life.