
What is the recovery time for an aortic valve replacement?
Recovery. 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.
What is the prognosis with aortic valve replacement?
With a diseased valve, heart valve replacement surgery becomes an emergency if you experience:
- Chest pain
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Cyanosis (bluish discoloration of the skin)
- Syncope (sudden loss of consciousness)
How long do you live after heart valve replacement?
For patients approximately 40 years old at the time of surgery, the life expectancy was reduced by 20 years compared to that of general population. 3 This data suggests that a 42-year-old patient undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) with a tissue valve is expected to live to 58 years of age.
What is the life of an artificial aortic valve?
What is the life expectancy of a mechanical heart valve? For example, they estimated that a 45-year-old undergoing mechanical valve replacement has a life expectancy of 19 years (compared with 34 years in the general population), and lifetime risk of thrombo-embolism, bleeding, and re-intervention of 18, 15, and 10%, respectively.

How long does an animal aortic valve last?
Tissue valves are created from animal donors' valves or animal tissue that's strong and flexible. Tissue valves can last 10 to 20 years, and usually don't require the long-term use of medication.
Can you live 20 years after aortic valve replacement?
What did it find? Pooled data from 85 studies estimated that 89.7% of people survived for two years after surgery, 78.4% at five years, 57.0% at 10 years, 39.7% at 15 years, and 24.7% at 20 years.
How long is a cow valve good for?
Tissue valves, which are made from pig heart valves or cow heart-sac tissue, typically last about 15 years.
How long do prosthetic aortic valves last?
Because most bioprosthetic valves are free from structural deterioration for 12 –15 years, many patients will die before the valves degenerate. The risk of tissue valve reoperation increases progressively with time, especially in younger patients.
What is the average life expectancy of a 69 year old after aortic valve replacement?
The median survival in patients 65 to 69, 70 to 79, and ≥80 years of age undergoing isolated AVR was 13, 9, and 6 years, respectively. For AVR plus coronary artery bypass graft procedures, median survival was 10, 8, and 6 years, respectively.
Can you have a second aortic valve replacement?
Conclusions—This study shows that a second aortic valve homograft replacement results in good early and long-term survival. Accelerated degeneration does not occur.
Can you live 10 years after TAVR?
Sathananthan and his colleagues set their sights on a rare subset: the 19 out of 287 patients (6.6%) who underwent TAVR at their center between 2005 and 2009 and then survived at least 10 years.
How many times can a heart valve be replaced?
Tissue valves. Most will need to be replaced in 10 to 20 years. The tissue can be taken from animals or cadavers. A third option is the Ross procedure, a surgery that replaces a defective aortic valve with the patient's own pulmonary valve.
Which heart valve is most commonly replaced?
The aortic valve is the most common valve to be replaced. The mitral valve is the most common valve to be repaired. Only rarely is the tricuspid valve or the pulmonic valve repaired or replaced.
How do I know if my artificial heart valve is failing?
Signs and symptoms of mechanical valve thrombosis may include muffled mechanical heart sounds, a new murmur, dyspnea, heart failure and cardiogenic shock. Thrombosis of right-sided valves causes right-sided heart failure, characterized by swelling of the legs, abdomen or both, without pulmonary congestion.
Which is better pig or cow valve?
In conclusion, the bovine valve is superior in its complication and haemodynamic profiles. Both bovine and porcine valves have comparable results with regard to the mortality, postoperative functional status and valve durability.
Can aortic valve be replaced without open-heart surgery?
Aortic valve repair and aortic valve replacement may be done through traditional open-heart surgery, which involves a cut (incision) in the chest, or by using minimally invasive methods, which involve smaller incisions in the chest or a catheter inserted in the leg or chest (transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or ...
Can you live 10 years after TAVR?
Sathananthan and his colleagues set their sights on a rare subset: the 19 out of 287 patients (6.6%) who underwent TAVR at their center between 2005 and 2009 and then survived at least 10 years.
How long does a heart valve replacement surgery last?
Heart valve surgery is open-heart surgery through the breastbone, into the chest. It is a major operation that can last two hours or longer and recovery often takes several weeks. There are newer, less invasive procedures suitable for some types of valvular heart disease, but they are only done at certain hospitals.
How many times can a heart valve be replaced?
Tissue valves. Most will need to be replaced in 10 to 20 years. The tissue can be taken from animals or cadavers. A third option is the Ross procedure, a surgery that replaces a defective aortic valve with the patient's own pulmonary valve.
How long do people live after a TAVR?
Leon, MD, FACC, during an ACC. 17 session on TAVR. “Their median life expectancy will be increased from 11 months to almost 30 months with TAVR.” He added that the transcatheter option is “in most cases, the preferred alternative” to surgery for high-risk patients too, assuming the patient is a good candidate for TAVR.
What are the Advantages of Cow Valves?
One major advantage of tissue valves is that cow valve replacements usually do not require long-term blood-thinning medication (e.g. warfarin, Coumadin) to prevent the development of blood clots that can form on the new valve.
How does a cow valve work?
Your surgeon removes your damaged heart valve and implants the bioprosthetic cow valve in its place. The implanted valve immediately starts opening and closing, allowing blood to leave the heart and preventing it from leaking back in. The balloon is then deflated and the delivery system is removed. The new heart valve begins to work immediately.
What is the difference between mechanical and tissue heart valves?
Typically, the choice is between mechanical heart valves and tissue heart valves. Mechanical valve replacements are made from very durable materials such as titanium and carbon. Tissue heart valve replacements, also known as biological or bioprosthetic valves, are harvested from pigs (porcine heart valves) or constructed from the tissue sac (the pericardium) surrounding the heart of a cow (bovine).
What is used to disinfect cow valves?
Once the tissue sac is removed from the cow, it is processed into the proper shape and, for most valves, chemically treated with glutaraldehyde – a disinfectant used to kill germs – to preserve the tissue and remove any live cells that might cause the patient’s body to reject the valve after it is implanted in the human body.
How does a heart-lung machine work?
The heart-lung machine does the work for the heart while it is stopped. This allows the surgeon to access the diseased heart valve. The surgeon then removes the damaged valve and replaces it with the new valve. After the valve is replaced, the heart is restarted and the incision is closed.
What is a pig valve?
Both mechanical and tissue valves are designed to mimic the function of a natural, healthy heart valve. To hear “pig valve” or “cow valve” as a choice for heart valve replacement options can be quite peculiar, even alarming for a patient.
Why do women need tissue valves?
Women who plan to have children also may prefer a tissue valve because, for most patients, warfarin use during pregnancy is not advised due to the risk of fetal malformations.
How long does a cow's valve last?
How Long Does A Cow Valve Last In A Human? The average life span of a cow’s valve is 10 to 15 years. According to the studies, those who get their aortic valves replaced with cows’ valve need to get the replacement done again in about 10 to 15 years, especially the young patients. In some cases, the cow’s valve may last up to 20 years.
What is the life span of a cow's valve?
The cow’s valve has a life span of only about 10 to 15 years and is more prone to calcification.
What is the condition where the aortic valve does not open properly?
Aortic Stenosis: In this condition, the aortic valve does not opens properly so the required amount of blood does not reaches the aorta, resulting in increased pressure on the heart.
Why are cow valves used?
Out of the two, cow’s valves are more commonly used. They are first treated chemically to make them compatible with the human body. Generally after the chemical treatment, the human body responds positively because the composition of the tissues becomes compatible. In case of pig’s valve the actual valve is used after processing, ...
What is aortic regurgitation?
Aortic Regurgitation: It is a condition in which the valve does not close properly, so there is a back flow of or leakage of blood. This results in improper blood supply to the whole body and extra pressure on the heart. Advertisement. Aortic Stenosis: In this condition, the aortic valve does not opens properly so the required amount ...
What happens when the aortic valve is not working properly?
When there’s a defect in the aortic valve, it does not function properly and this exerts extra pressure on the heart. This results in the weakening of the heart muscles. Generally two types of aortic defects are seen: Advertisement. Aortic Regurgitation: It is a condition in which the valve does not close properly, ...
Why is the heart stopped for a period of time?
The heart’s activity is stopped for sometime so that the valve replacement can be done effectively. During this time, the aorta is connected to an artificial pump to ensure proper blood supply to the whole body. The biological valve can be made out of human tissues, which is known as Autograft.
How long does an aortic valve last?
Nonetheless, with proper care, it is possible to allow the valve to function to its lifetime, which is 15 years. We are speaking here about tissue aortic valve replacement.
What is the best way to replace an aortic valve?
Replacement of the damaged aortic valve with a tissue valve or mechanical valve is the only solution. Before beginning the surgery, the doctor performs tests and understands the symptoms faced by the individual to choose the best available option. If the condition is the beginning stage, they place the patients under observation and study the progress. If the symptoms are becoming severe, then they opt for surgery and elect between the mechanical or tissue valve based on the age, gender, and overall health condition of patient.
Why are pig valves used?
The use of tissue valves existed for more than five decades. Doctors extracted aortic valves from pigs and cows, chemically treated it, and modified the genes to ensure proper functioning of the valve after a replacement. The use of pig’s valve is in demand because of its close resemblance to the human heart. However, as the genes are different, doctors treat in the lab before performing the replacement operation on a human being.
Why do we use tissue valves?
Use of Tissue Valves. Using tissue valves is a critical aspect, as it functions similar to that of the conventional human aortic valve. A person requires the replacement of an aortic valve when the patient is suffering from diseases that dysfunction the valve.
Why is a pig's valve in demand?
The use of pig’s valve is in demand because of its close resemblance to the human heart. However, as the genes are different, doctors treat in the lab before performing the replacement operation on a human being. Given the fact that the life of a pig is around 15 years, the tissue aortic valve lasts the same.
How long does a pig live?
Given the fact that the life of a pig is around 15 years, the tissue aortic valve lasts the same. However, with recent progressions in the medical field, researchers claim to have extended the lifespan by another five years. It was possible with the growth in the genetic engineering.
What is the longest blood vessel in the body?
The valve allows the blood pumped by the heart into the aorta, the longest blood vessel in the body. The aorta separates into ascending and descending aorta with several branches extending from the same. These branches are arteries, and the blood flow passes through them to different regions of the body. Advertisement.
How long does it take to die from a valve replacement?
1 Data suggests that at 10 years after surgery, 1 in 5 patients who undergoes a mechanical aortic valve replacement at 50 years of age has died or required a reoperation. 2
What is valve failure?
Additionally, valve failure (wear and tear over time), referred to as structural valve deterioration (SVD), remains a concern for patients of all ages who receive tissue valves. Importantly, the younger the patient is, the faster a tissue valve wears out. 4
