What would you do if your heart valve “sprung a leak” (regurgitation) or was blocked (stenosis)?
Your aortic valve controls the direction of blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta. When the valve is in good working order without leaks or blockages it allows for easy flow of blood b between these two spaces.
However, if flow is impeded, aortic valve replacement surgery is often necessary. This procedure involves splitting the sternum to access the aortic valve. Unfortunately, recovery from this type of surgery can be long.
But there’s good news for people living in the Arlington area. Earlier this year, Arlington Memorial Hospital became one of the first in Tarrant County to have a physician on the medical staff who offers minimally invasive surgery for aortic valve replacement. This can mean faster recoveries with less pain for area patients.
“The recovery is dramatically different,” says Darien Bradford, M.D., a cardiothoracic surgeon on the medical staff who performs the minimally invasive procedure. “It takes a long time for the sternum to heal. Patients who have been conventional surgery may have to leave work for up to three months, if their job involves manual labor.”
Benefits
On other hand, patients who are candidates for the minimally invasive procedure are often back to work in a week or two. “They can get up and move around almost immediately, with very little pain,” says Dr. Bradford. “Pain is one of the biggest drawbacks of the conventional method.”
“The valve replacement itself hasn’t changed,” he continues, “only the way we achieve access.” Patient outcomes are largely unaffected by the choice between conventional and minimally invasive routes. The risk for certain complications, however, is reduced by the minimally invasive option. The most obvious is a limitation of sternal wound infections, which are not uncommon after conventional valve replacement surgery.
The hospital stay for the minimally invasive procedure is the same as it is for conventional heart valve surgery, which is approximately 4 to six days. The pain endured throughout the state, however, is much less severe and can often be managed with a minimum of medication.
Who is it for?
Even though there are many advantages to the minimally invasive procedure, some patients are not candidates, including those who are obese or have moderate to severe peripheral vascular disease. Angiograms are used to evaluate the condition of the patient’s blood vessels and to determine the appropriate procedure.
“Offering this procedure at Arlington Memorial Hospital clearly reflects our commitment to being cardiovascular center of excellence,” says Kirk King, FACHE, president of Arlington Memorial Hospital.
“Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement serves as yet another technically advanced option along the cardiovascular care continuum at Arlington Memorial Hospital.”
Arlington Memorial Hospital Health and You
Fall-Winter 2008
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