Type of Surgery
Information
Last updated: 11/24/2009
BOOKS
Hensley, Frederick A., Donald E. Martin, and Glenn P.Gravlee, eds. A Practical Approach to Cardiac Anesthesia. 3rd Edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams &...
Wilkins Philadelphia, 2003.
PERIODICALS
Bonow R, et al. "ACC/AHA Guidelines for the Management ofPatients with Valvular Heart Disease."JACC 32 (November 1998): 1486–588.
Advertisement
Tiny electric currents flow through the heart muscle and cause them to contract, squeezing blood throughout the body. This animation shows the electrical system of the heart and how it is driven by a small patch of tissue called the cardiac pacemaker or sinoatrial node.
The heart is accessed through a chest incision (A). The patient's heart function is replaced by the heart-lung machine. The aorta is cut open to reveal a diseased aortic valve (B), which is then removed. A valve sizer is placed in the opening to determine the size of prosthesis needed (C). A prosthetic valve is sutured in place (D and E). (Illustration by Argosy.)
Search
Other Information
Aortic valve replacement is a cardiac surgery procedure in which a patient's aortic valve is replaced by a different valve. The aortic valve can be affected by a range of diseases; the valve can either become leaky (aortic insufficiency / regurgitation) or partially blocked (aortic stenosis). Aortic valve replacement currently requires open heart surgery.
Other Information
How many open-heart surgeries are performed each year? In 2005 in the United States, these procedures were performed: Valve replacements 106,000 Bypass (cardiac revascularization) 469,000 Heart transplants (performed in 2006) 2,192 Total open-heart procedures 699,000.
From: American Heart Association
Find a Qualified Specialist
Looking for a specialist?
Please enter your zip code.

