Valvuloplasty
Valvuloplasty, also be called as Balloon valvuloplasty, Balloon valvotomy or Percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty, is a procedure to repair a heart valve that contain a narrowed opening.
Some facts about Valvuloplasty:
- A stenotic or stiffed heart valves such as aortic or mitral can be open up by using a catheter with a balloon on the tip in Balloon valvuloplasty.
- There are four valves within your heart including he aortic, mitral, tricuspid and pulmonary valves that open and close to let blood flow through the heart
- Blood passes through a valve before leaving each chamber of the heart and it is ensured that the blood flows in only one direction through your heart by these valves.
- The mitral valve is located between the left upper and lower chambers of the heart that has two leaflets that open and close similar to a double door.
- The valve flaps (leaflets) may become thick or stiff and fuse together in a narrowed heart valve (stenosis).
- Narrowing of an opening, such as a heart valve is called as stenosis.
- Blood flow through the valve get reduced because of valve stenosis.
- The forward flow of blood from the left atrium to the left ventriclereduces because of stenosis of the mitral valve causing a back-up of blood and fluid in the lungs.
- Blood flow through the heart valve can be improved by a valvuloplasty.
- Symptoms of heart valve disease, such as shortness of breath or chest pain may also be improved with a valvuloplasty.
Preparation for Valvuloplasty:
- Blood tests, a chest x-ray, electrocardiogram, and an echocardiogram will be performed before the procedure.
- Usually, these tests are scheduled the day before the procedure.
- You will be asked to fast for 6 hours prior to the procedure.
- All of your usual medications should be taken unless instructed otherwise by your cardiologist.
- An alternate method for thinning your blood may be prescribed a few days before the procedure if you are taking any blood thinning medications such as Coumadin (warfarin).
- Ask your physician how to adjust your medications the day of your test if you have diabetes.
Procedure for Valvuloplasty:
- Valvuloplasty is a non-surgical procedure that is done during cardiac catheterization.
- A tiny hole will be created in the wall between the upper two chambers of the heart by the cardiologist after placing catheters into blood vessels in the groin and guided into the chambers of the heart.
- An opening is provided by this hole for the cardiologist to access the left atrium with a special catheter that has a balloon at the tip.
- The catheter is positioned in such a manner that the balloon tip is directly inside the narrowed valve.
- The balloon is then inflated and deflated several times to widen the valve opening.
- The balloon is deflated and removed once the cardiologist has determined that the opening of the valve has been widened enough.
- Regular health checkups and imaging tests of the heart should be done after valvuloplasty to make sure the heart valve is working properly.
- Usually the procedure lasts about an hour.
