Heart valve replacement surgery is typically done under general anaesthesia with techniques that are either conventional or minimally invasive.
The conventional technique requires a large incision from your neck to your navel. However, if you have the less invasive procedure, the length of your incision can be shorter, thus reducing your risk of infection as well.
In order to successfully remove the diseased valve and replace it with a new one, your heart must be still. So, you’ll be placed on a bypass machine that keeps blood circulating through your body and your lungs functioning during surgery.
There’s almost a 2 per cent risk of death associated with valve replacement surgery.
The procedure usually takes 2-4 hours, and you will probably have to stay in the hospital for around five to seven days. You get to go home earlier, if your surgery was minimally invasive.
Full recovery may take you a few weeks or several months, depending on your rate of healing. The cost of Heart Valve replacement surgery falls in the range of USD 3,590 – USD 7,314.
