Emergency Surgery for Aortic Valve Disease & Aneurysms
Given the progressive nature of heart valve disease, most heart valve operations are planned. However, there are patients who might require an emergency procedure. Emergent or sudden operations may be required for patients that are diagnosed with critical aortic valve disease. For example, aortic stenosis (which is commonly referred to as the "silent killer") might require an emergency surgery. In addition, the presence of an aortic aneurysm, which can be associated with valvular conditions including bicuspid aortic valves, may accelerate the need for an emergency procedure considering the life-threatening risks of a dissection or a rupture of the aorta, which is the largest artery in the human body. To better understand emergency cases related to aortic valve disease and aortic aneurysms, we just interviewed Dr. Christopher Mehta, a cardiac surgeon at Northwestern Medicine. (Video posted on June 29, 2021)
Doctor Interviewed
Dr. Christopher Mehta
Cardiac Surgeon
Northwestern Medicine
Chicago, Illinois
(888) 515-0285