The survival rate for a heart valve replacement surgery depends on which valve is involved. This was analyzed in a large study in which the lifespan of a large population, who went ahead with the surgery, is observed for a specific timeframe.
The 5-year survival rate means what percentage of people lived for at least 5 years after the surgery. Similarly, the 10-year survival rate means what percentage of people lived for at least 10 years after the surgery.
For example, the 5-year survival rates (as shown in table 1) for aortic valve replacement (AVR) surgery is 94%. This means 94 out of 100 people who underwent AVR surgery could live at least 5 years.
Table 1: The Survival Rates as Per the Type of Valve in Heart Valve Replacement Surgeries
| Heart valve replacement surgery | 5-year survival rate | 10-year survival rate |
| Aortic valve replacement surgery | 94% | 84% |
| Mitral valve replacement surgery | 64% | 37% |
| Pulmonary valve replacement surgery | 96% | 93% |
| Tricuspid valve replacement surgery | 79% | 49% |
Survival rates for heart valve replacement surgery are often used as predictors of how long patients can live beyond a certain number of years (5 years, 10 years) after the surgery. However, these may vary for you depending on your age, your overall health, and the current status of your heart function. Discuss with your doctor about these factors to know about your life expectancy after the surgery.
What are the four types of heart valves?
The heart is made up of four pumping chambers:
- Two atria: Upper chambers of the heart
- Two ventricles: Lower chambers of the heart
There are valves between each of the heart's pumping chambers that open and close in coordination with each other. Their action keeps blood flowing forward through the heart. There are four valves in the heart:
- Tricuspid valve: Between the right atrium and the right ventricle
- Pulmonary valve: Between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery
- Mitral valve: Between the left atrium and the left ventricle
- Aortic valve: Between the left ventricle and the aorta
When do you need heart valve replacement surgery?
A heart valve disease develops when the valve becomes either stiff, narrow (stenosis), or leaky (regurgitation). These two disease states of the valve disrupt the flow of blood in and out of the heart.
Heart valve diseases can be present by birth (congenital) or occur as a complication of other health conditions, such as rheumatic heart disease.
Many people who have heart valve disease may never experience any symptoms. Sometimes, the valve disease is diagnosed when a woman is pregnant. Doctors may still recommend heart valve replacement surgery to prevent the worsening of the heart condition.
With a diseased valve, heart valve replacement surgery becomes an emergency if you experience:
- Chest pain
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Cyanosis (bluish discoloration of the skin)
- Syncope (sudden loss of consciousness)
SLIDESHOW
The 14 Most Common Causes of Fatigue See SlideshowHow is a heart valve replacement surgery performed?
Heart valve replacement surgery can be performed via any of the two approaches:
- Open-heart surgery: Traditional method of heart surgery in which a large incision is made in the chest; the heart is stopped for a time so that the surgeon can repair or replace the valve.
- Minimally invasive heart surgery: These are the newer techniques in which the doctors make smaller incisions over the chest to replace the heart valves.
The diseased valves may be replaced by any of the artificial valves that include:
- Manufactured mechanical valve: Made up of carbon-coated plastic, the mechanical valve is the most durable type of valve that will usually last for your entire lifetime.
- Donor’s valve: This is an actual human valve taken from a donor and implanted in your heart (donor valve implantation). It usually lasts for anywhere between 10 to 20 years.
- Tissue valve: Created from animal valves or tissues, this type of heart valve is expected to stay healthy for 10 to 20 years after the surgery.
Your doctor will discuss the benefits and risks of the available surgical options as well as of the types of valves.
What are the risks involved in heart valve replacement surgery?
Heart valve replacement surgery is a major surgery that can turn life-threatening at times. The possible risks of this surgery include:
- Bleeding during or after the surgery
- Blood clots that can get lodged in the arteries of
- Heart (and cause a heart attack)
- Brain (and cause stroke)
- Lungs (and causes extreme difficulty in breathing)
- Infection of the operative wound
- Infection of lungs, such as pneumonia
- Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
- Arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms)
- Malfunctioning of the new (implanted) valve
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Kvidal P, et al. Observed and relative survival after aortic valve replacement. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2000 Mar 1;35(3):747-56.
Vassileva CM, et al. Long-term survival of patients undergoing mitral valve repair and replacement: a longitudinal analysis of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries. Circulation. 2013 May 7;127(18):1870-6.
Babu-Narayan SV, et al. Clinical outcomes of surgical pulmonary valve replacement after repair of tetralogy of Fallot and potential prognostic value of preoperative cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Circulation. 2014 Jan 7;129(1):18-27.
Jain A, Oster M, Kilgo P, Grudziak J, Jokhadar M, Book W, Kogon BE. Risk factors associated with morbidity and mortality after pulmonary valve replacement in adult patients with previously corrected tetralogy of Fallot. Pediatr Cardiol. 2012 Apr;33(4):601-6.
Moraca RJ, et al. Outcomes of tricuspid valve repair and replacement: a propensity analysis. Ann Thorac Surg. 2009 Jan;87(1):83-8.
Top Survival Rate of Heart Valve Replacement Surgery Related Articles
Brevital Sodium (Methohexital Sodium for Injection)
Brevital Sodium is used in conjunction with the use of other general anesthetic agents and parenteral agents, and other uses. Brevital should be used only in hospital or ambulatory care settings that provide forcontinuous monitoring of respiratory (e.g. pulse oximetry) and cardiac function. Serious side effects of Brevital Sodium include circulatory depression, respiratory depression (including apnea), cardiorespiratory arrest, twitching, emergence delirium and others.adenosine
Adenosine is an antidysrhythmic drug used to treat a type of irregular heart rhythm disorder known as paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT). Common side effects of adenosine include flushing, chest pressure and discomfort, shortness of breath (dyspnea), headache, throat, neck and jaw discomfort, gastrointestinal discomfort, lightheadedness, dizziness, upper extremity discomfort, electrical disturbances in the heart, abnormal ECG readings, low blood pressure (hypotension), numbness and tingling (paresthesia), irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmia), and nausea. Consult your doctor before taking if pregnant or breastfeeding.Camzyos (mavacamten)
Camzyos (mavacamten) is a prescription medication used to treat the symptoms of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Camzyos reduces left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and can cause heart failure due to systolic dysfunction. Camzyos may cause serious side effects including hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of your face/lips/tongue/throat, fainting, and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction from the heart. Consult your doctor before taking Camzyos if pregnant or breastfeeding.
Can You Tell if Your Heart Is Healthy?
Your heart pumps blood throughout your body. You can tell if your heart is healthy by taking 10,000 steps per day and having good blood pressure, BMI, cholesterol and blood sugar numbers.
Common Medical Abbreviations & Terms
Doctors, pharmacists, and other health-care professionals use abbreviations, acronyms, and other terminology for instructions and information in regard to a patient's health condition, prescription drugs they are to take, or medical procedures that have been ordered. There is no approved this list of common medical abbreviations, acronyms, and terminology used by doctors and other health- care professionals. You can use this list of medical abbreviations and acronyms written by our doctors the next time you can't understand what is on your prescription package, blood test results, or medical procedure orders. Examples include:
- ANED: Alive no evidence of disease. The patient arrived in the ER alive with no evidence of disease.
- ARF: Acute renal (kidney) failure
- cap: Capsule.
- CPAP: Continuous positive airway pressure. A treatment for sleep apnea.
- DJD: Degenerative joint disease. Another term for osteoarthritis.
- DM: Diabetes mellitus. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- HA: Headache
- IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease. A name for two disorders of the gastrointestinal (BI) tract, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
- JT: Joint
- N/V: Nausea or vomiting.
- p.o.: By mouth. From the Latin terminology per os.
- q.i.d.: Four times daily. As in taking a medicine four times daily.
- RA: Rheumatoid arthritis
- SOB: Shortness of breath.
- T: Temperature. Temperature is recorded as part of the physical examination. It is one of the "vital signs."
cryoprecipitate
Cryoprecipitate is a blood product containing specialized insoluble blood proteins known as coagulation factors that regulate the clotting and clot-dissolving processes. Cryoprecipitate is obtained from plasma, the fluid component of blood, and is used to treat patients with blood clotting (coagulation) disorders and to control hemorrhage during major surgery or during and after childbirth. Common side effects of cryoprecipitate include transfusion-related complications, allergic reactions, and post-transfusion bruising (purpura).dextran
Dextran is a prescription medication used to treat hypovolemia (decreased volume of circulatory plasma blood) resulting from surgery, trauma, severe burns, or other causes of bleeding. Dextran may be used alone or with other medications. Common side effects of dextran include mild itching, rash, body aches, numbness or tingly feeling, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea, mild dizziness, weakness, low fever, and brown discoloration of your skin. Do not take if breastfeeding.
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 called a "vegetation." The infection can be caused by having bacteria in the bloodstream after dental work, colonoscopy, or other similar procedures. Endocarditis symptoms include fever, fatigue, weakness, chills, aching muscles and joints, night sweats, edema in the legs, feet, or abdomen, malaise, shortness of breath and small skin lesions. Treatment for endocarditis is generally aggressive antibiotic treatment.
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Heart disease and heart attacks can be prevented by leading a healthy lifestyle with diet, exercise, and stress management. Symptoms of heart attack in men and women include chest discomfort and pain in the shoulder, neck, jaw, stomach, or back.
Heart Disease: Warning Signs of Cardiovascular Disease
Heart disease (coronary artery disease) occurs when plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, the vessels that supply blood to the heart. Heart disease can lead to heart attack. Risk factors for heart disease include:
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Family history
- Obesity
Angina, shortness of breath, and sweating are just a few symptoms that may indicate a heart attack. Treatment of heart disease involves control of heart disease risk factors through lifestyle changes, medications, and/or stenting or bypass surgery. Heart disease can be prevented by controlling heart disease risk factors.
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The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. See a picture of the Heart and learn more about the health topic.propofol
Propofol is an intravenous anesthetic drug used for general anesthesia and sedation during surgical procedures. Common side effects of propofol include injection site burning, stinging or pain; low blood pressure (hypotension), reduced cardiac output, elevated blood pressure (hypertension), pause in breathing (apnea), lung impairment (respiratory acidosis), impaired movement, high level of emulsified fats in the blood (hyperlipidemia), and high triglyceride level in blood (hypertriglyceridemia). Abuse of propofol can cause death and other injuries.succinylcholine
Succinylcholine is a skeletal muscle relaxant used for medical procedures done under general anesthesia, including tracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, and surgeries. Common side effects of succinylcholine include postoperative muscle pain, jaw rigidity, muscle twitch (fasciculation), respiratory depression, cessation of breathing (apnea), low or high blood pressure (hypotension or hypertension), irregular heart rhythms (cardiac arrhythmias), slow or rapid heartbeat (bradycardia or tachycardia), cardiac arrest, increase in intraocular pressure (IOP), high blood potassium levels (hyperkalemia), severe life-threatening drug reaction with excessively high temperature (malignant hyperthermia), salivary gland enlargement, excessive salivation, rash, hypersensitivity reactions, and others.Verquvo (vericiguat)
Verquvo (vericiguat) is a prescription heart medication used in adults who are having symptoms of chronic (long-lasting) heart failure to reduce the risk of hospitalization or death. Do not take Verquvo if pregnant or may become pregnant. The most common side effects of Verquvo include low blood pressure and low red blood cells (anemia).Yosprala (aspirin and omeprazole)
Yosprala is a prescription medicine used in people who have had heart problems or strokes caused by blood clots, to help reduce their risk of further heart problems or strokes, and who are at risk of developing stomach ulcers with aspirin. Yosprala can cause serious side effects, including stomach and intestine problems, kidney failure, liver problems, low vitamin B-12 levels, low magnesium levels, and stomach growths (fundic gland polyps).