Aortic valve stenosis is the most common valvular heart disease. This condition may lead to heart failure and a significant deterioration in the quality of human life. The only way to cure a defect is through surgery. You can undergo your aortic valve stenosis treatment in Germany and expect good and long-term results.
Content
- Who may need heart valve replacement surgery?
- What aortic valve prostheses can be implanted by doctors?
The operation is performed under general anesthesia through a chest incision. Minimally invasive procedures can also be used. During the intervention, doctors implant a mechanical or biological artificial valve in the patient's aorta.
You can seek medical attention at the University Hospital Essen, the University Hospital Oldenburg, or the University Hospital Ulm.
You do not have to worry about organizing your trip to Germany if you use the Booking Health services. We will contact the hospital administration and make an appointment for you on your preferred dates. We will also translate your medical records into German, book hotel and airline tickets for you, meet you in Germany, and take you from the airport to the hospital by car.
Who may need heart valve replacement surgery?
Aortic valve repair is a rare treatment option. Basically, in the severe form of the defect, at the onset of symptoms or signs of heart failure, doctors perform heart valve replacement surgery, which means that they implant an artificial heart valve instead of the damaged one.
Aortic valve replacement surgery in Germany can be open or endovascular. Whenever possible, hospitals with cardiosurgery departments prefer minimally invasive interventions, as they are safer and patients have a shorter recovery time.
However, in some cases, patients require open surgery. Cardiosurgery doctors can perform it in the following cases:
- combination of stenosis with insufficiency;
- lesion of not only the aortic but also other heart valves that need to be replaced or restored;
- the presence of other heart diseases that require open surgery;
- the need for a mechanical prosthesis in young patients.
What aortic valve prostheses can be implanted by doctors?
During the operation, one of the following two types of heart valve prostheses can be implanted: mechanical or biological.
Preference is always given to biological artificial heart valves. Although they are less durable, these prostheses work better and do not require lifelong anticoagulant therapy. It only lasts three months after the operation.
Doctors can also implant a mechanical prosthesis for young patients because its service life is practically unlimited. It is unlikely that a revision intervention will be required in the future following the implantation of a mechanical prosthesis, although a person will have to take anticoagulants for life.
You can go to Germany to have your aortic valve reconstruction or replacement surgery. Modern cardiosurgery departments in Germany have high success rates of operations and a low risk of complications. The Booking Health website presents the surgical treatment cost for aortic stenosis. On our website, you can also compare prices at different clinics and choose a medical care program at the best price. Our specialists will assist you in selecting the Heart Center and arranging your trip.
Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board-certified doctors Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova and Dr. Vadim Zhiliuk. For the treatment of the conditions referred to in the article, you must consult a doctor; the information in the article is not intended for self-medication!
Sources:
ECR - European Cardiology Review
American Heart Association
Johns Hopkins Medicine