Know About Heart Valve Replacement Process And Cost In India

The heart valve or aortic valve constitutes one of the four valves that control the blood flow in the heart. The aortic valve ensures the correct blood flow through the heart. Further, it separates the left ventricle and the aorta. An individual might require heart valve replacement surgery to treat the diseases affecting one of the four of the aortic valves.

What Is Heart Valve Replacement?

A heart valve replacement surgery is performed on a patient who is suffering from some heart valve-related disease. If the aortic valve stops working properly, it can severely affect the heart’s blood flow, which causes the heart to do extra work to provide the blood to the rest of the body.

In a heart valve replacement surgery, the affected aortic valve is replaced with a healthy one to treat the disease. This procedure helps restore the normal flow of blood throughout the heart and preserves the function of the heart muscle.

The Heart Valve Replacement Process

The surgery is a complex process, and therefore, the patient is subdued with general anaesthesia. Then, the surgeon makes a little incision in the breastbone to reach the aorta chamber in the heart.

The heart valve replacement surgery is open-heart surgery. Therefore, the patient is connected to a heart-lung bypass machine to temporarily take the heart’s place to maintain the function of the heart.

The doctor replaces the damaged valves with materials made up of stainless steel or ceramic material during the process. Sometimes, they use human and animal tissues, but the metal valves have higher longevity than the biological ones.

Moreover, after the surgery, the patients must take constant medications or blood thinners throughout their lives. As a result, the surgery reduces the risk of fatal health conditions or heart strokes. In addition, the surgery has a high success rate of 94-97%.

Types Of Heart Valve Surgery

Heart valve replacement surgery is categorized into different types:

1. Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

This procedure is mostly used to treat aortic stenosis. It is a minimally invasive surgery, where thin tubes, also known as catheters, are inserted through the artery near the groin area. Then, the catheter is moved up towards the heart or the aortic valve, where the new valve is implanted with the catheter’s help.

Also Read: 7 Surprising Advantages of Hip Replacement Surgery

2. Bioprosthetic Valve Replacement

This procedure acts as a secondary addendum, where a second valve is implanted once the first replaced valve wears down. This, too, is a minimally invasive process.

3. Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair (TMVR)

In this procedure, mitral regurgitation is repaired with the help of a catheter.

4. Balloon Valvuloplasty

This procedure is done when there is no need to replace the valve, but only a slight alteration is needed. Therefore, in this process, a balloon is inflated in the valve temporarily. It is mostly used to relieve the narrowing of valves or in cases of stenosis.

When Do You Require A Heart Valve Replacement Surgery?

The following symptoms include the signs that a person might require heart valve replacement surgery:

1. Unusual fatigue, weakness, or feeling of constant tiredness.
2. Shortness of breath.
3. Swollen ankles, feet, abdomen, and veins in the neck.
4. Unusual or irregular heartbeat, including fluttering and racing heartbeat sensations.
5. Light-headedness.
6. Inability to maintain regular activities.
7. Chest pains and palpitations.

If an individual suffers through the symptoms mentioned above, they need to immediately consult a cardiologist and get the extent of their problems. Moreover, in such cases, they might require heart valve replacement surgery.

What Is The Heart Valve Replacement Cost In India?

The heart valve replacement cost in India varies from city to city and institution to institution. But the average cost of the surgery lies somewhere between INR 4,50,000 to INR 6,00,000 in India.

Moreover, the average heart valve replacement cost in India in different cities are as follows:

In addition to the surgery procedure, the cost increases if we include the rehabilitation period, the room cost, and the cost of the medications prescribed to the patients.

Conclusion

Heart valve replacement surgery is necessary for patients with certain diseases. Moreover, the heart valve replacement cost in India is not as expensive as the western countries, and the success rate is considerably high. In India, Max Hospital provides world-class heart valve replacement surgery at an affordable cost.