The good news is that
valve problems are often quite treatable
. Depending on which valve is causing the problem and the severity of your symptoms, your cardiologist or surgeon might recommend a surgical procedure or a transcatheter, minimally invasive procedure to repair or replace the leaky valve.
How serious is a leaking heart valve?
With a leaky valve, sometimes not enough blood gets pumped to the rest of the body. Heart valve leakage/regurgitation can force the heart to work harder to do its job. The condition
can lead to heart failure, sudden cardiac arrest, and death
.
How do you fix a leaking heart valve?
Some of the ways your doctor can fix a damaged valve include: Annuloplasty: A special ring is put around the valve to make it close right. MitraClip: A small cut is made in your groin, and the clip is pushed up to your heart through a thin tube. It clips a small area of the flaps together to limit the leak.
How long can you survive with a leaking heart valve?
In developing countries, it progresses much more rapidly and may lead to symptoms in children less than 5 years of age. Around 80% of patients with mild symptoms live for
at least 10 years
after diagnosis.
Can you live a long life with a leaky heart valve?
If the condition remains untreated, you may lose your life in the next three years after encountering the symptoms
. However, after undergoing surgical valve replacement, you can improve your quality of life. Patients with a replaced valve may have excellent long-term survival.
Can you live with a leaky heart valve?
In many cases, however, a repair or replacement is required.
Left untreated, leaky heart valves can cause serious complications, including heart failure, atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) or pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lung's vessels)
.
Do leaky heart valves get worse over time?
It becomes leaky allowing some blood flow back into the left ventricle instead of forward into the body. You may not have symptoms for many years.
Chronic aortic valve regurgitation may get worse
. It may require surgery.
Is a heart valve replacement major surgery?
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.
Can a heart valve be replaced without open heart surgery?
Answer:
Yes, there's a minimally invasive procedure that uses a catheter — TAVR
— that may be a better choice for some people who are at moderate to high risk of complications from open heart surgery. TAVR stands for transcatheter aortic valve replacement.
Is it better to repair or replace a heart valve?
In general,
heart valve repair is usually the first choice
because it is associated with a lower risk of infection, preserves valve strength and function, and reduces the need to take blood-thinning medications for the rest of your life, which may be necessary with certain types of valve replacement.
How long do you live after mitral valve replacement?
Median survival after MV ‐repair was
7.8 years
, close to 8.5 years (95% CI : 8.2–9.4) in the age‐matched UK population (ratio 0.9). Rate of re‐operation for MV ‐dysfunction was 2.3% versus 2.5% (mitral valve replacement, P=1.0).
What are the signs of a leaky heart valve?
- Shortness of breath.
- Leg swelling or puffiness over the face.
- Failure to thrive (children)
- Giddiness.
- Increased heartbeat.
- Heart palpitations.
- Fatigue.
How long are you in the hospital after heart valve replacement?
After an aortic valve replacement, you'll usually need to stay in hospital for
about a week
. The time it takes to fully recover varies depending on factors like your age and overall health. Your breastbone will usually heal in about 6 to 8 weeks, but it may be 2 to 3 months before you feel your normal self again.
Is heart valve surgery risky?
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.
