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 you live a normal life after aortic valve replacement?

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. Subgroup analysis showed that five-year survival declined with increasing patient age (from 83.7\% in under-65s to 52.5\% for those over 85).

Can you live a normal life after heart valve surgery?

Each year in the United States, more than five million Americans are diagnosed with heart valve disease, which occurs when one or more heart valves are not opening or closing properly.

How long do heart valves last?

Tissue valves can last 10 to 20 years, and usually don’t require the long-term use of medication. For a young person with a tissue valve replacement, the need for additional surgery or another valve replacement later in life is highly likely.

What is the average age for aortic valve replacement?

Only studies published after 2006 were included to ensure relevance to current technologies. Patients were enrolled between 1977 and 2013. Average patient age was 53 to 92 years.

Does valve replacement shorten your life?

Patients who have undergone surgical replacement of the heart’s aortic valve have a shorter life expectancy than the normal population, the loss in life expectancy being particularly marked in the young.

How serious is a heart valve problem?

If the heart valve leak is severe, it may impair the forward flow of blood. This can cause symptoms of congestive heart failure, which include: Shortness of breath, especially with exertion or when lying flat. Leg swelling or fluid retention elsewhere in the body.