Valvuloplasty is the surgery performed to correct a defect in a heart valve so that blood circulation occurs correctly. This surgery may only involve repairing the damaged valve or replacing it with another made of metal, from an animal such as a pig or cow or from a human donor who has died.
In addition, there are different types of valvuloplasty according to the valve that has a defect, as there are 4 heart valves: the mitral valve, the tricuspid valve, the pulmonary valve and the aortic valve.
Valvuloplasty can be indicated in case of stenosis of any of the valves, which consists of thickening and hardening, making it difficult for blood to pass, in case of insufficiency of any of the valves, which occurs when the valve does not close completely, with return of a small volume of blood backwards or in case of rheumatic fever, for example.
Types of valvuloplasty
Valvuloplasty can be classified according to the damaged valve, being called:
- Mitral valvuloplasty, in which the surgeon repairs or replaces the mitral valve, which has the function of allowing blood to pass from the left atrium to the left ventricle, preventing it from returning to the lung; Aortic valvuloplasty, in which the aortic valve, which allows blood to escape from the left ventricle out of the heart is damaged and, therefore, the surgeon repaired or replaced the valve with another; Pulmonary valvuloplasty, in which the surgeon repairs or replaces the pulmonary valve, which has the function of allowing blood to pass from the right ventricle to the lung; Tricuspid valvuloplasty, in which the tricuspid valve, which allows blood to pass from the right atrium to the right ventricle, is damaged and, therefore, the surgeon has to repair or replace the valve with another one.
The cause of the valve defect, its severity and the patient's age determine whether the valvuloplasty will be repair or replacement.
How Valvuloplasty is performed
Valvuloplasty is usually done under general anesthesia and a cut on the chest for the surgeon to observe the entire heart. This conventional technique is used especially when it comes to replacement, as in the case of severe mitral regurgitation, for example.
However, the surgeon can choose less invasive techniques, such as:
- Balloon valvuloplasty, which consists of introducing a catheter with a balloon at the tip, usually through the groin, to the heart. After the catheter is in the heart, contrast is injected so that the doctor can see the affected valve and the balloon is inflated and deflated, in order to open the valve that is narrowed; Percutaneous valvuloplasty, in which a small tube is inserted through the chest instead of making a large cut, reducing pain after surgery, length of stay and the size of the scar.
Both balloon valvuloplasty and percutaneous valvuloplasty are used in cases of repair, as well as to treat aortic stenosis, for example.
