When the valves of your heart start weakening, each beat is a strain. Heart valve replacement surgery can restore your health, rhythm and quality of life – if done at the right time and with the right strategy.
In India, the techniques in both open-heart and minimally invasive valve replacement procedures have made treatment more effective and easily accessible than before. This guide takes you through it all – from what kinds of valves exist to how the procedures are done, recovery times, and a comparison of costs in Indian hospitals. If you are a patient, caregiver, or simply interested in learning about your options regarding heart valve treatment, this article is designed to provide you with well-informed, confident choices.
What is Heart Valve Replacement?
The human heart contains four valves –
Aortic valve –
This is the valve positioned between the left ventricle and the aorta (the main artery that carries blood back to the body). It allows blood to flow from the left ventricle into the aorta, and prevents backflow of blood into the ventricle.
Tricuspid valve –
This valve is positioned between the right atrium and right ventricle. Its job is to allow blood to flow from the right atrium into the right ventricle, while preventing any backflow of blood from the ventricle back into the atrium.
Pulmonary –
This valve is situated between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery, it lets blood flow out from the right ventricle into the pulmonary artery. It also acts as a barrier against backflow from the artery back into the ventricle.
Mitral/bicuspid valve –
This valve is located between the left atrium and left ventricle, allowing for blood flow from the atrium to the ventricle while preventing backflow from the left ventricle back into the left atrium.
These valves regulate the flow of blood between the chambers and out to the rest of the body. These valves open and close with each heartbeat. When one or more of them stop functioning as they should, blood flow gets disrupted.
Common problems include:
- Stenosis: A condition where the heart valve becomes stiff or narrow, thus restricting blood flow.
- Regurgitation (or insufficiency): A condition where there is blood leaking from a valve that does not close all the way.
In early stages, medication may help relieve early symptoms. But when the valve damage becomes severe, heart valve replacement surgery is often critical and the best option to restore proper heart function.
Why Might You Need Heart Valve Replacement Surgery?
If There Is Severe Valve Damage or Dysfunction:
If one of the heart valves are too damaged or diseased to function properly, then there might be a replacement needed. The causes for damage can be because of stenosis (narrowing) or regurgitation (leaking).
If You’re Facing These Symptoms:
If you experience breathlessness, chest pain, fatigue, palpitations, or feel like fainting due to damaged valves, and medications no longer help, surgery might be your next option.
Progressive Worsening on Tests:
If your cardiac tests (such as echocardiograms) show the disease to have worsened, proactive surgery might be recommended.
If Your Heart Muscle Has Weakened:
If the valve damage starts to affect how the heart is functioning, you might need surgery before there’s permanent damage.
If Your Valve is Infected:
When the heart valves are severely infected, valve tissue may be destroyed which need to be replaced via surgery.
Congenital Heart Valve Defects:
If you’re born with abnormal heart valves, which can happen with the bicuspid aortic valve, they may need replacement at some point.
If Your Previous Valve Repair or Replacement Starts Failing:
Degeneration, calcification or infections are some of the reasons that previously repaired or replaced valves begin to fail. In this case, another surgery might be needed.
Types of Heart Valves Used in India
In India, commonly used heart valves include mechanical valves, which are durable and made from synthetic materials, and bioprosthetic (tissue) valves, made from animal tissue and suited for patients who may not tolerate long-term blood thinners. The choice depends on age, lifestyle, and medical condition.
1. Mechanical Valves
Mechanical valves are made from durable materials – such as pyrolytic carbon. In heart valve replacement procedures, these types of valves are meant to be used for years, and rarely wear out. These types of heart replacement valves are ideal if you’re looking for a permanent solution. The only necessity post-surgery is to take anticoagulation therapy life long in order to prevent blood clots. .
Best suited for:
- Younger patients ( under 50–60 years) undergoing valve replacement
- Those who can adhere to regular monitoring and anticoagulant use
- Patients that prefer durability over lifestyle flexibility
2. Biological Valves
Biological valves are created from treated animal tissue and closely function like natural valves. While they don’t require blood thinners lifelong, they do tend to degenerate over a period of 10 to 20 years.
Best suited for:
- Older adults (usually over 65 years)
- Patients opposed to long-term anticoagulation
- Patients who prefer lesser medication-related restrictions after surgery
3. Transcatheter Valves (TAVR/TAVI and TMVR)
Though not traditional open surgery, transcatheter valves are now increasingly used in valve replacement procedures as minimally invasive surgery options. TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement) and TMVR (Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement) involve inserting a collapsible valve through a catheter via the chest or groin, and offering a less invasive alternative with faster recovery.
Best suited for:
- Patients who are elderly, or at high surgical risk for traditional surgery
- Patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis
- Patients on varying levels of risk based on their anatomy and medical conditions
How is the Heart Valve Replacement Procedure Performed?
1. Open-Heart Valve Replacement
This is the traditional method of valve replacement, performed under general anesthesia through an incision in the chest (sternotomy).
Key facts:
- The heart is temporarily stopped and connected to a heart-lung machine.
- The damaged valve is removed and replaced with either a mechanical or biological valve.
- This heart valve replacement procedure requires a hospital stay of 5 to 7 days with a recovery period of 6 to 8 weeks.
- This heart valve replacement surgery assures prolonged durability, especially if mechanical valves are used.
2. Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR/TAVI)
A less invasive alternative to open-heart surgery, Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Surgery (TAVR) is done via a catheter inserted through a blood vessel, either in the chest or groin.
Benefits:
- This technique is minimally invasive when compared to other procedures
- Results in a shorter hospital stay (2–3 days)
- Faster recovery time (typically 1–2 weeks)
- This procedure is ideal for patients who are elderly or surgically high-risk
Risks:
- This may have a risk of needing a pacemaker post-procedure
- Valve durability is still being studied in younger, low-risk patients
- This is not suitable for all anatomical types
What Is The Cost of Heart Valve Replacement in India?
The cost of the heart valve replacement surgery mainly depends on a variety of factors. It matters whether the hospital is private or public (government), the level of experience of the surgical team, and the location of the hospital. A general estimate of the heart valve replacement cost ranges from Rs. 3,00,000 – Rs. 12,50,000.
Factors Affecting Heart Valve Replacement Procedure in Mumbai?
These following factors can affect the cost of the heart valve replacement surgery in Mumbai:
Location:
Hospitals located in well-populated and high-end regions of the city would charge more than hospitals located in the suburbs of Mumbai. An example would be looking at the cost differences based on locations for hospitals in Bandra, Worli, Colaba when compared to costs of hospitals in other locations of Mumbai.
Diagnostic Cost:
Diagnostic costs, such as blood tests and X-rays, that are performed before the procedure add up to the total cost.
Surgeon’s Expertise:
The cost of the consultation and procedure will increase with the level and expertise of the surgeon. It’s important to take into consideration the heart valve replacement surgery success rate of the surgeons when choosing specialists for your heart care.
Type of Hospital:
Government hospitals offer more affordable rates when compared to the rates if the hospital is private.
Insurance:
If you have medical insurance, there won’t be any out-of-pocket costs for such procedures. If you lack insurance, the total cost of your care will rise to include the procedure as well.
Recovery after Heart Valve Replacement Surgery
The heart valve recovery time duration depends upon the specific heart condition you have and the type of procedure undertaken.
During your hospital stay, your healthcare team is responsible for your post-surgery health in the following ways:
- Tracking your health and keeping a look out for signs of infection. Tracks your condition and watches for signs of infection.
- Monitoring your vitals, such as blood pressure, breathing and heart rate.
- Helping you to manage through any pain and discomfort.
- Encouraging you to walk regularly, to slowly return to an active lifestyle.
- Encouraged to cough and perform breathing exercises.
While these are generally the recovery procedures for heart valve surgery recovery, recovery time depends on the specific type of replacement and procedures each patient chooses.
Regular follow-up appointments after discharge is a must, where diagnostic tests may be performed post-surgery to check that the valves are functioning as they should.
Certain lifestyle changes that we recommend, as heart experts, are:
- Maintaining a healthy diet
- Abstaining from consuming tobacco or smoking
- Exercising regularly
- Ensuring stress levels are well-managed
Which Option is Right for You?
As heart valve disease presents itself in many forms, there are many treatment options to rectify it. Some valves may only need slight monitoring, whereas others need invasive surgery for repair or replacement.
The best path forward for you depends on your unique health condition, symptoms, and functioning state of the heart. To know which option is right for you, working with the top heart specialists is essential.
Our team of heart valve experts, backed by years of successful interventions and clinical expertise, are here to recommend what’s truly right for you – not just medically, but personally.
Find Your Solution To Cardiac Care
Take your first step toward better heart health. Reach out to the best heart valve clinic in Mumbai to explore your options and get cardiac care you can count on. Clinics like Heart Valve Experts have specialised teams that offer offer precisive diagnoses and treatments with compassion.
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