Aortic Valve Regurgitation: Deciding About Surgery

Overview

You and your doctor can talk about many things to see if you want to have aortic valve replacement surgery. Together, you can weigh the benefits of surgery against your risks.

You may decide to have surgery if the regurgitation is bad enough that it can or has damaged your heart.

To help you decide, your doctor may check:

• Your overall health.
• How severe the aortic valve regurgitation is.
• Your symptoms, if you have any.
• Your ejection fraction. (This is a measure of how much blood your heart pumps out to your body.)
• The size of your left ventricle.

If you are having another heart surgery, such as bypass surgery, you may choose to have valve replacement at the same time.

If your condition has been getting worse slowly, you may choose to wait a little longer before you have a valve replacement.

What are the risks of surgery to replace the aortic valve?

The risks vary based on your age and general health. Risks include problems from the surgery, such as bleeding and infection. Other risks include heart attack, stroke, other heart problems, and death. You'll need medicines to prevent blood clots in the new valve. And you may need another valve replacement surgery over time.