Heart valve replacement is considered the definitive treatment for heart valve diseases and lesions, and has saved many heart patients in Turkey thanks to the efforts of elite doctors.
Overview of the heart valves
Heart valve replacement is essential when heart valves, though small, fail to function properly, disrupting blood flow in and out of the heart and affecting overall health.
Valvular heart disease can be congenital, caused by infection, or occur without a clear reason. Since it is more common with age, doctors believe aging is a contributing factor.
Over the past decade, treatments for valvular heart disease have advanced significantly. Today, multidisciplinary approaches offer optimal care for each patient, ranging from catheterization and endoscopic heart surgery to traditional open-heart procedures to repair or perform heart valve replacement when necessary.
How heart valves work
The heart is the pump that keeps blood flowing throughout the body, and as blood passes through the valve, the valve leaflets act as little gates that open to allow the blood to pass into the heart chambers and close to prevent the blood from crossing in the opposite direction.
There are four valves in the heart, and any malfunction of one of these valves can be fatal as it inhibits blood flow and leads to blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes.
Symptoms and signs of valvular heart disease
The first sign of a valvular issue is a heart murmur or irregular heartbeat that the doctor hears with a stethoscope. However, the presence of a heart murmur does not necessarily indicate a valvular issue.
Symptoms of heart valve issues include fatigue, dizziness, fainting, respiratory distress, sudden weight gain, bulging neck veins, and edema in the ankles or other areas of the body.
Medications and lifestyle changes can help avoid surgery for valvular heart disease, but most people will need surgery depending on age, overall health, and symptoms that may become severe.
Heart valve replacement surgery in Turkey
In most cases, valve replacement surgery requires open-heart surgery, which means that the surgeon opens the chest and then opens the heart to remove the affected valve. Sometimes the valve can be replaced by making a small incision near the sternum or under the right pectoral muscle, which is called minimally invasive heart surgery.
Studies have indicated a high success rate of heart valve replacement, with a five-year survival rate of 94% for the aortic valve and 64% for the mitral valve, and the following table shows the survival rate after heart valve replacement of various types:
| Heart valve replacement surgery | Five-year survival rate | Ten-year survival rate |
| Aortic valve replacement surgery | 94% | 84% |
| Mitral valve replacement surgery | 64% | 37% |
| Pulmonary valve replacement surgery | 96% | 93% |
| Tricuspid valve replacement surgery | 79% | 49% |
Reasons for heart valve replacement surgery
A heart valve replacement should be performed when a valve develops disease or damage that prevents it from opening properly (valve stenosis) or closing properly (valve insufficiency) and interferes with the heart’s ability to pump blood.
Heart valve replacement surgery aims to replace a damaged heart valve with a replacement valve that does the job of the original valve in opening and closing and eases the burden on the heart muscle.
How replacement valves work
Replacement valves act as gates that allow blood to pass in one direction, opening at the right time and closing at the right time, allowing the heart to pump effectively without the blood going back in the opposite direction.
Types of replacement valves and choosing the right one
There are two main types of valve replacements, prosthetic and bioprosthetic, and the choice of one of these valves is influenced by several factors such as age, comorbidities, and patient preference.
- Bioprosthetic heart valves: These valves are obtained from a human cadaver or from animals, and they do not require taking blood thinners if there is no other contraindication for the patient to take them, so they are more suitable for elderly patients, pregnant women and athletes, and people who have biological valves have a lower risk of blood clots, but these valves are less durable and need to be replaced every 12 to 15 years.
- Artificial heart valves: These valves are made of carbon and metal, and because they are considered the most durable, they are used in younger patients (less than 65 years old), but people who have artificial valves must take blood-thinning drugs such as warfarin for life because they have a high risk of blood clots, so bio-valves are not suitable for pregnant women or athletes who are prone to injury and bleeding.
Risks of heart valve replacement surgery
As with any surgery, there are risks from the anesthesia and risks from the procedure itself, and the degree of risk depends on the patient’s age and health issues.
Complications of heart valve replacement surgery include:
- Sepsis
- Formation of blood clots
- cerebral amyloidosis
- Irregular heartbeat
- Lack of kidney function for several days
Aortic valve replacement has a mortality rate of 1 to 2 percent, which is much lower than the risk of leaving it untreated, while mitral valve replacement has a mortality rate of 2 to 6 percent, and most people who have successfully undergone this procedure have a life expectancy close to the normal range.
How to perform heart valve replacement surgery in Turkey
The traditional procedure involves opening the chest and cutting the sternum to access the valve area. The heart must be stopped during valve replacement, so the patient is placed on a cardiopulmonary bypass machine to maintain blood circulation in the body during the procedure, which is a very complicated operation.
Nowadays, laparoscopic (minimally invasive) heart surgery for heart valve replacement or even TAVI can be performed in suitable patients.
The procedure varies from patient to patient and takes at least two hours, and the patient is placed under general anesthesia during the procedure.
The doctor removes any tissue or calcified debris that interferes with the normal functioning of the valve and may remove the entire damaged valve, then sews the new valve in place of the old one.
Once the doctor is sure that the new valve is working well, he or she will restore blood flow to the heart, disconnect the patient from the cardiopulmonary bypass machine, and close the incision.
It should be noted that all replacement valves are biocompatible, meaning that the patient’s immune system will not reject the new valve.
After the procedure, the patient will be transferred to the intensive care unit for some time, where his/her vital signs will be closely monitored to make sure no complications occur; the patient may feel a little uncomfortable with the many monitors attached to him/her.
When intensive care is no longer necessary, the patient will be transferred to a regular hospital room for 3 to 10 days, depending on the speed of the patient’s recovery.
Life after heart valve replacement
After the heart valve replacement procedure, the patient will be helped to get back on their feet, and many patients return home in about a week.
On average, it takes two to three months for a patient to fully recover, but this varies widely depending on the patient’s condition and the type of surgery performed.
Traditional surgery may require a longer recovery time, while transcatheter heart valve replacement does not require a long recovery time.
The patient’s overall quality of life is expected to improve after the procedure due to the resolution of the valvular issue and the restoration of normal heart function. Doctors will explain to the patient how to start exercising gradually.
It is essential for the patient to undergo cardiac rehabilitation where they are helped to exercise safely and given psychological support and advice on medications and the type of food they should eat to help them recover as soon as possible.
Sources:
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TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement) in Turkey.
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Robotic Mitral Valve Replacement in Turkey 2025
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Mitral Valve Replacement Surgery in Turkey: Procedure & Recovery
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Minimally Invasive Aortic Valve Replacement: Procedure, Benefits, and Recovery
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Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement: Procedure, Benefits, and Recovery Guide
