How Common Are Aortic Valve Replacements?

August 29th, 2008

Following a recent blog, Take A Guess: How Many Annual Mitral Valve Surgeries?, I have received several questions about whether or not aortic valve replacements are common.

I hope you would agree that determining whether or not aortic valve surgery qualifies as “common” is relative. It ultimately depends on what YOU consider as common, right?

As for me, I have learned (since my own aortic valve replacement) that aortic valve surgery is not common but it is not uncommon as well. Confused? Let me explain.

Is Aortic Valve Replacement A Common Surgery

Given my research, I estimate there are approximately 20,000 to 30,000 aortic valve replacement surgeries in the United States each year. While that is not a small number, it is relatively small considering that over 250 million people live in the United States.

Now, the interesting part… I go to the gym about five times per week. In the last three months, I have coincidentally met – in the sauna – two different people that had aortic valve replacement due to congenital bicuspid valves.

Here is my point: While aortic valve replacement is not statistically common, the surgery is performed on a very regular basis with a high degree of success.

I hope that helps give some perspective on whether or not aortic valve replacement is common.

Keep on tickin!

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.