Heart Valve Disease Treatment (cont.)
In this Article
 Are There Non-Surgical Options for Valve Disease?Yes. Balloon valvotomy is used to increase the opening of a narrowed (stenotic) heart valve. It is used for select patients who have mitral valve stenosis (narrowing of the mitral valve) with symptoms, select older people who have aortic stenosis (narrowing of the aortic valve) but are not able to undergo surgery, and some patients with pulmonic stenosis (narrowing of the pulmonic valve). What Happens During Balloon Valvotomy?During a balloon valvotomy, a specially designed catheter is inserted into a blood vessel in the groin and guided to the heart. The tip is directed inside the narrowed heart valve. Once there, a tiny balloon is inflated and deflated several times to widen the valve opening. Once the cardiologist is satisfied the valve has been widened enough, the balloon is removed. During the procedure, the cardiologist may perform an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart) to get a better picture of the valve. New research-based, non-surgical procedures to treat regurgitation (leaky valves) are being tested and may provide additional treatment options using a catheter for valve disease in the future. WebMD Medical Reference SOURCES: Last Editorial Review: 9/15/2009 © 2005-2013 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved. |
Suggested Reading on Heart Valve Disease Surgery by Our Doctors
-
Related Diseases & Conditions
10 articles-
Stroke
- A stroke results from impaired oxygen delivery to brain cells via the bloodstream. A stroke is also referred to as a CVA, or cerebrovascular incident.
-
Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP)
- Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is also also known as "click murmur syndrome" and "Barlow's syndrome." Mitral valve prolapse is the most common heart valve
-
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm is a ballooning or widening of the main artery (the aorta) as it courses down through the abdomen. Most abdominal aortic aneurysms
-
Heart Murmur
- A heart murmur is the sound generated when blood flow within the heart is not smooth. Causes of heart murmurs can be functional, congenital, or caused
-
Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial fibrillation is an abnormality in the heart rhythm which involves irregular and often rapid beating of the heart. Symptoms may include palpitations,
-
Aortic Stenosis
- Aortic valve stenosis is an abnormal narrowing of the aortic valve of the heart. The causes of aortic stenosis are wear and tear of the valve in the elderly,
-
Heart Valve Disease
- Heart valve disease occurs when the heart valves do not work the way they should. Symptoms of valve disease include shortness of breath, weakness or dizziness,
-
Heart Disease
- Heart disease (coronary artery disease) is caused by a buildup of cholesterol deposits in the coronary arteries. Risk factors for heart disease include
-
Endocarditis
- Endocarditis, a serious infection of one of the four heart valves is caused by growth of bacteria on one of the heart valves; leading to an infected massed
-
Congenital Heart Defects
- Congenital heart defects are heart problems that are present at birth. Genetics may play a role in some heart defects. Symptoms can range from nonexistent
-
Stroke
-
Medications
0 articles -
Procedures & Tests
5 articles -
Pictures, Images & Quizzes
0 articles -
Doctor's & Expert's Views
2 articles -
Health News
11 articles -
Health Features
0 articles
