Double Valve Replacement

Symptoms of a leaky or damaged heart valve :

• Breathing Issue: Getting out of breath easily, even with light activity or while lying down.
• Fatigue: Unusually feeling tired or weak, even with normal activities.
• Swelling: Sometimes swelling in the legs, ankles, or feet due to poor blood flow.
• Chest Pain: discomfort or pain in the chest during physical activity.
• Irregular Heartbeat: Feeling like the heart is fluttering or skipping beats.
• Dizziness or Fainting: Feeling faint due to blood not flowing well.

Ideal patients for Double Valve Replacement are those who:

• Patient's age
• Tolerance to the surgical procedure
• Current medications
• When the valve cannot be repaired
• Previous heart valve repair or replacement failure
• Development of complications like infection or blood clots

Benefits of Double Valve Replacement:

• Improved Heart Function: The surgery helps the heart pump blood more effectively, which can improve overall health.
• Relief from Symptoms: Many people experience less shortness of breath, less chest pain, and more energy after the surgery.
• Better Quality of Life: By fixing the damaged valves, the surgery can help you feel better and live a more active life.
• Preventing Further Damage: Replacing the damaged valves can stop the heart from getting worse, reducing the risk of heart failure or other serious complications.

Risks of Double Valve Replacement:

• Infection: As with any surgery, there’s a risk of infection, especially in the chest or around the heart.
• Blood Clots: Sometimes, blood clots can form after the surgery, which may lead to a stroke or other problems.
• Bleeding: The surgery may cause bleeding, which may require extra treatment or surgery.
• Heart Arrhythmias: Some people may experience irregular heartbeats after the surgery, which can require medication or other treatments.
• Recovery Challenges: The recovery process can be difficult for some people, and it may take time to regain full strength.

Before the Double Valve Replacement

Patient Usually visit to the doctor for consultation, Doctor checks overall health, heart condition and review your medical history. It is required to inform the doctor about the medical history or condition, such as pregnanacy, allergies, diabetes and medications.

• Test and Scans: Patient may need to tests like ECG, blood tests to check how the heart and valve are functioning.
• Stop Medications: Doctor would like to recommend some medications which makes blood thin, it will prevent complication during surgery.
• Avoid Food & Drinks: The need to stop eating and drinking the food for some hours before surgery for maintain proper health.
• Shower and wash hair well before or on the day of surgery
• Pre Surgery Instructions: The Suggest pre surgery instructions which are needed to perform on the day of surgery, when to arrive and date of arrival.

During the Double Valve Replacement

This procedure is performed using anesthesia, where patient sleeps and doesn't feel pain during the surgery. Normal surgery needs an incision to be made from the neck to the xiphoid. Where minimally invasive procedure, very short incision are needed. it help to reduce the chances of infection.

• Open the Chest: The surgeon will make an incision in the chest to open the heart. Sometimes, the breastbone is split to access the heart.
• Heart Machine: A particular machine will take over the job of pumping the blood and oxygen throughout the body while surgeons work on the heart.
• Replacing the Valves: The surgeon will remove the damaged valves (mitral and aortic) and replace them with either mechanical or tissue valves.
• Closing the Heart: Once the new valves are in place and everything is working well, the surgeon will close the chest and ensure your heart is functioning properly again.
• Waking Up: After the surgery, you’ll be slowly woken up from anesthesia in a recovery room, where you’ll be closely monitored.

After the Double Valve Replacement

After the double valve replacement surgery, the following happens:

• Recovery Room: You will be taken to a recovery room where doctors and nurses will closely watch you as you wake up from anesthesia. You might feel groggy or tired at first, which is normal.
• Monitoring: Your heart rate, blood pressure, and other vital signs will be carefully monitored to make sure everything is going well.
• Breathing Support: You might have a breathing tube for a short time to help you breathe while you’re recovering. It will be removed once Patient will be in good condition.
• Pain Management: Patient will be given medicine to help manage any pain or discomfort. It's important to let the doctors know if you're feeling any pain.
• Getting Out of Bed: Within a day or two, you’ll start moving around with the help of a nurse. Walking a little helps your recovery.
• Hospital Stay: Patient will likely stay in the hospital for several days to ensure you’re recovering well. During this time, doctors will check your progress and make sure your heart is healing properly.
• Gradual Recovery: After patients leave the hospital, it may take a few weeks to feel better. You’ll need rest, but also gentle exercise, and follow-up visits to the doctor to make sure everything is going smoothly.