Mitral Valve Replacement Diagram
October 26th, 2007
After two, very long weeks in Europe, I’m finally catching up on emails. There are some great questions in my inbox. This one reads, “Do you have any diagrams or illustrations that show what happens during mitral valve replacement surgery?”
You betcha I do. However, you must know that obtaining heart valve surgery pictures is very tough stuff! Most of the medical diagrams that you see in text books and encyclopedias are thousands (yes… thousands) of dollars to buy or have licensed.
Luckily, I made friends with Olivier at Servier International. When I told him about the heart valve book I was writing, Olivier gave me the mitral valve replacement diagrams at no charge! Phew!
Anyways, back to the question about mitral valve replacement diagrams. Below you will see a top view of the heart. You can learn more about heart valve anatomy in the Valve Surgery Learning Center, but you can see on the illustration below what happens as the mitral valve is removed and then a tissue valve or mechanical valve is inserted.
Whether you use a tissue valve (cow, pig, human) or mechanical valve, that will be a big question for you, your family and your surgeon. There are many advantages and trade-offs for both categories of heart valve replacement types. Alternatively, you might be a good candidate for the Ross Procedure.
Keep on tickin!
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| About The Author: Adam Pick is a double, heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient's Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. This unique book integrates clinical research with the personal experiences of 135 former patients to help future patients and their caregivers better understand the problems, the opportunities and the realities of heart valve surgery. To learn more about Adam and his heart valve surgery book, click here. |
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