How to Find the Best Heart Valve Surgeon to Treat Aortic Stenosis or Aortic Insufficiency
Patients may become faced with a diagnosis of severe aortic valve disease, it can be difficult to sort out the best options. It is often a highly emotional and confusing time. This article will guide patients through the steps for good information about the best aortic valve operation and finding the right heart surgeon to fit their needs.
A few words about these aortic valve conditions:
- Aortic Stenosis means that the aortic valve is severely calcified and stiff. It cannot open wide when it is supposed to. A normal aortic valve has three flimsy and extremely pliable leaflets (cusps) that will open and allow unimpeded flow through a roughly circular cross-section with a diameter of about one inch. A severely stenotic valve only allows flow through a pinhole. That explains that hissing sound that doctors refer to as a “murmur”. The heart eventually tires out and immediate surgery is necessary before it gets to that point.
