Heart valve repair is a procedure to repair a heart valve that is not functioning properly. The heart valve is responsible for helping blood pump through the heart. Different techniques can be used to repair the heart valve depending on the problem you have. Problems can include scarring of the heart valve, leaky valves or valves that do not open/close all the way.

Heart valve repair is advised for heart valve disease. The following are different types of heart valve disease:

• Mitral valve regurgitation - a condition in which the mitral valve will not close tightly and allows blood to flow backwards into the heart.
• Valvular stenosis - a condition in which the valve is narrowed because of stiffening that occurs to leaflets in the valve.
• mitral valve prolapse - a condition in which the tissues of the valve stretch out and become leaky.

Heart valve repair surgery is usually an open heart surgery with general anesthesia.

In some patients, close monitoring by a doctor is the only treatment needed for heart valve disease. Medications can treat some conditions that may accompany heart valve disease such as high blood pressure that can worsen heart valve disease.

In some patients with valvular stenosis (narrowing of the valve), a procedure called balloon valvotomy is used to increase the opening of a narrowed valve. Your doctor will help you decide if this procedure is right for you.

Prior to surgery, you should have any dental work completed. Dental infections can allow bacteria to enter the bloodstream and infect the new heart valve - a condition that is very hard to treat.

Prior to any surgery, your doctor will give you a complete medical examination and evaluate your overall health and your health history. You may be required to get additional tests such as X-rays and lab tests. Your doctor will also review with you the potential risks and benefits of the operation and will ask you to sign a consent form. It is important that you ask questions and be sure you understand the reason for the surgery as well as the risks.

It is important that you inform your doctor if you have allergies to any medications, what medications you are taking, and if you have bleeding problems. It is also important to inform your doctor if you are pregnant.

Your doctor will also give you specific instructions on how to prepare for surgery, including guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, taking or avoiding certain vitamins and medications. Carefully following these instructions will help your surgery go more smoothly.

Depending on the circumstances of your surgery, you may be instructed to do the following:

• Completely empty your colon and cleanse your intestines prior to surgery. You may be requested to drink clear liquids only for one or several days prior to surgery.
• Stop eating or drinking after midnight the night before the operation except medications that your doctor has told you are permissible to take with a sip of water the morning of surgery.
• Plan for your care and recovery after the operation. Find someone to drive you home after the surgery. Allow for time to rest and try to find people to help you with your day-to-day duties.
• Stop smoking at least six to eight weeks prior to surgery as smoking delays wound healing. Smokers are also more likely to have breathing problems during surgery.

You will typically stay in the hospital for up to ten days after your heart valve repair surgery.

Recovery from heart valve surgery repair depends on your health prior to surgery. Generally expect to return to work in four to six weeks unless you have a physically demanding job. In that case, it may take longer to return to work. After surgery your doctor will instruct you to do the following:

• Take antibiotics prior to a dentist appointment.
• Take a blood thinner medication regularly.
• Watch for and report any infections such as to your skin in order to prevent any infection from spreading to the blood. Also monitor and report any high fevers that occur following surgery.

A variety of factors may influence the cost of the surgery. They include:

• Insurance coverage
• Pre-existing health
• Insurance co-pay
• Location of the facility

These factors vary depending on you and your situation.

The cost of each procedure can vary dramatically based upon age, location, gender, and insurance coverage. HealthGrades provides detailed cost estimates which include the costs of the procedure, drugs, hospital stay, and more. Each cost estimate is easy to understand and provides medical terms you need to know.

The detailed cost estimate for Heart Valve Repair, includes costs for:

• Repair heart valve while on bypass
• Repair heart valve while blood flow is temporarily interrupted by clamps (without bypass)
• Dilating ventricle to repair heart valve while on bypass
• Aorta construction using human or pig value
• Heart valve incision to relieve obstruction while on bypass or not
• Repair mitral valve while on bypass
• Repair mitral valve and insert prosthetic device while on bypass
• Radical repair of mitral valve
• Insertion of catheter in valve while on bypass
• Repair tricuspid valve while on bypass with/without ring insertion
• Pulmonary valve transventricular incision
• Repair pulmonary artery using occlusion or bypass
• and Resection of two cardiac valves
• and Partial or complete repair of atrioventricular valves with/without prosthetic valve.