Presbyterian Healthcare 
Tests and Treatments
Valve Replacement and Repair
| When the valves of the heart collect calcium deposits or no longer close properly, it is necessary to have those valves replaced or repaired. Presbyterian offers surgical procedures to replace and repair valves. |
Valve replacement is appropriate for valves that have become too tight with calcium deposits or no longer close properly. These problems may be the result of an infection or a valve that was abnormal at birth and has degenerated over time. There are two general types of replacement valves available--mechanical and bioprosthetic.
- Mechanical valves allow blood to travel in one direction and prevent it from going backwards.
- Bioprosthetic valves are made from animal tissue. The most common valves are made from the aortic valves of pigs or a cow's pericardium (lining around the heart).
Patients with mechanical valves require blood thinners for the rest of their lives in order to avoid the formation of blood clots on the valves. Patients with tissue valves usually have a lowered risk of blood clot formation and may not need blood thinners. Sometimes, it is possible to repair the valve rather than replace it. This is a decision only your surgeon can make.
