Valve Replacement

When a heart valve becomes narrowed or develops a leak, the surgical team at Yuma Regional Medical Center can choose from a number of options to replace the damaged valve, based on the patient’s individual needs. 

The options for replacement valves include:

• Mechanical valve – This is a long-lasting valve made of a durable material such as carbon.
• Tissue valve – These valves may include human or animal donor tissue.

The procedures used for the repair or replacement of damaged heart valves include:

• Traditional surgery
• Minimally invasive surgery:
• Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) - This surgical procedure is used to repair the heart valve without removing the old, damaged valve. To perform this procedure, the surgeon inserts a replacement valve into the current valve, similar to the way that a stent is placed into an artery, through a small incision made in the groin or chest.
• Valvuloplasty – In this procedure, the surgeon uses a balloon catheter to widen an aortic valve that has narrowed.  
• Valve Surgery – As in traditional open heart surgery, the surgeon replaces or repairs the valve. But instead of opening the chest with a long incision, this minimally invasive procedure enables the surgeon to repair the valve by using a small incision approximately two inches long.