Exact Answer: After about 10 days
The aortic valve is a valve that stays in the human heart between the left ventricle and aorta. This valve is present so that it separates the left ventricle (that is hearts main pumping chamber)and the aorta ( that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the body). The vital function of the aortic valve is to keep blood flowing incorrect direction. The aortic valve and pulmonary valve are the two semilunar valves of the heart.
There are some diseases of the aortic valve which need replacement or repair. According to disease severity, the treatment plan depends. Usually, we need to stay about 10 days in the hospital after aortic valve replacement surgery.
How Long In Hospital After Aortic Valve Replacement?
| Type | |
| Minimum | 10 days |
| Maximum | 14 days |
Aortic valve replacement is a medical procedure in which the improper aortic valve is replaced with a man-made valve. The artificial one serves the same function as that of the real one. Nowadays this aortic valve replacement is done by open heart surgery technique. When there is a contraction of the left ventricle, the opening of the Aortic valve occurs, and when the ventricle goes to relaxation mode valve closes.
This makes the blood flow incorrect direction, any malfunction of the aortic valve can create an improper blood flow which will put pressure on the heart to work harder to send the blood to different parts of the body. Aortic valve replacement or repair can treat the disease related to the aortic valve and hence can help to restore the normal blood flow and preserve the normal functioning of the heart.
The treatment plan is done per the severity of the condition, is there any signs and symptoms present or not, or it is indicating a worsening case. Doctors will diagnose and, according to the disease found, the treatment for aortic valve replacement or repair will be decided. The aortic valve disease may be of different types these includes:
1- Aortic valve stenosis is conditional when the valve becomes narrow or Obstructed. In this condition, the heart has to pump forcibly to cross the blood through the aorta.
2- Aortic valve regurgitation ( this a case where malfunction of the aortic valve causes backflow of blood to the ventricles when ventricles get relaxed) is an abnormality of the heart from birth (congenital ) or deterioration due to bacterial infection.
3-Congenital heart disease is an abnormality when a person is born with a defective aortic valve that doesn’t have enough tissue flaps or cups, or the valve is of the wrong shape.
Why Should One Stay So Long In Hospital After Aortic Valve Replacement?
There are some other physical and medical factors that are checked by the Doctors before going for a repair or replacement of the Aortic valve. These factors include the patient’s age, the severity of the disease, whether it is correct to do replacement of the Aortic valve, and another heart disease.
Although valve repair is the first choice in contrast with valve replacement. As valve repair can reduce the risk of infection, as we are not going to replace this, we are keeping the strength and function intact and the need for blood-thinning medication is no more to practice for the rest of your life. However, heart repair is what u all need, where the heart can’t be repaired. Value replacement needs more skills and it is difficult than valve replacement. So the best option overall will depend on the council of the medical team, they will diagnose and do according to the situation.
By open heart surgery, the replacement and repair of valves are done. Surgery of the Aortic valve starts with a small cut or incision over the chest, which is one technique or another technique like minimally invasive methods. The minimally invasive method requires a shorter hospital stay than the traditional open-heart surgery. Open heart surgery needs more time to heal and is more painful than the minimally invasive method. But these decisions are only made by the doctors. After studying the situation they will conclude the benefits and risks before you.
Conclusion
Before surgery just go on a talk with your doctor about all the risk factors benefits of the surgery. And before being admitted to the hospital discuss with your hospital staff about the hospital stay and hospital food. Before the surgery anesthesia is given so that you won’t feel any pain and you will be unconscious during surgery. A machine called a heart-lung bypass machine will be connected to keep the blood flow throughout the body.
Overall treatment and recovery time depends on the operation procedure, whether it is open-heart surgery or an invasive method. Doctors will advise many things to do and any things no to do as post-operative care.