MECHANICAL HEART VALVE

 


A Mechanical Heart Valve is an artificial heart valve that is made up of materials like carbon and titanium. When the aortic valve present in the heart gets defective then it is replaced by a mechanical heart valve through surgery. It consists of two consecutive leaflets with a metal ring that is implanted in place of the original valve. This full process is known as heart valve replacement.

ROLE OF AORTIC VALVE

The Aortic valve stenosis is situated in the middle of the aorta and the left ventricle or it separates the left ventricle from the aorta. At the time of contraction of the left ventricle, the blood moves through the aortic valve into the aorta. The aorta then provides the oxygenated blood to the entire body parts. If the valve becomes leaky or gets narrower it may not open or close properly which may result in backward flow of the heart. If not treated on time it may give rise to various valvular diseases.

ADVANTAGE OF MECHANICAL HEART VALVE

The main benefit of a mechanical heart valve is its durability. It lasts till the patient's lifetime and does not require another valve surgery. This type of valve is suited best for younger people as they are hard-wearing. They don't wear out easily.

DISADVANTAGE OF MECHANICAL HEART VALVE`



The mechanical heart valve comes with an increased risk of formation of a blood clot because of which patients are asked to take anticoagulants for a lifetime. As the mechanical valve is not made up of organic tissue, the blood gets easily clot on the surface of the artificial valve. The tissues of the valve are made up of hard material that tears the blood cells rapidly and the formation of blood clots takes place. All those who undergo valve replacement surgery are kept on an anticoagulant such as WARFARIN and are advised to monitor their INR level regularly. A Patient can easily test their PT/INR level at home with the help of a PT/INR meter and can get their doses adjusted by their respective health care providers. After taking WARFARIN the rate of formation of blood clots reduces. Depending upon the age and the overall health condition of the patient the risk of bleeding inside the body may be high or low. So patients on WARFARIN are advised to take a lot of preventive measures.

RELATED RISK WITH VALVE REPLACEMENT

The replacement surgery risk depends upon the health, age, and the medical facilities provided to the patients. These types of surgery are often performed in a well-organized medical care center by a group of experts who are heart specialists. The risk may include excessive bleeding, infection,  stroke, and death in the worst case.

 

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