Denise just asked me, “Do you know what are the most common complications after aortic valve replacement surgery? My dad is getting ready for surgery and I want to know what are the potential complications I should expect.”

According to a recent study, approximately 41% of heart valve surgery patients report that recovering from cardiac surgery is more difficult than expected. One of the reasons for this high number is post-operative complications.

Whether it is a heart palpitations, broken sternum pain, fluid in lungs ^[1], incision infection, a-fib or chest-clicking ^[2], many patients are often confronted by real or perceived complications. Personally, I experienced many of these common complications after my aortic valve replacement ^[3].

As you can see on the chart below, 66% of patients responded that they encountered some form of heart valve surgery complication.

As for a specific complication that is “most common” after aortic valve replacement, I do not have that information. But, I hope that above-referenced information helps you prepare for your father’s aortic valve surgery.

Keep on tickin!