How serious is heart valve replacement surgery recovery?

The incision in your chest may be sore or swollen. These symptoms usually get better after 4 to 6 weeks. You will probably be able to do many of your usual activities after 4 to 6 weeks. But for at least 6 weeks, you will not be able to lift heavy objects or do activities that strain your chest or upper arm muscles.

What is a disadvantage for replacing heart valves?

Risks of Heart Valve Repair or Replacement Bleeding during or after treatment or damage to the blood vessels. Blood clots that can cause heart attack, stroke, or lung problems. Infection at the incision site. Infection in the new valve (endocarditis), which is more common with valve replacement.

Is heart valve Replacement major surgery?

An aortic valve replacement involves removing a faulty or damaged valve and replacing it with a new valve made from synthetic materials or animal tissue. It’s a major operation that isn’t suitable for everyone and can take a long time to recover from.

What is life expectancy after heart valve replacement?

Following surgery, survival ranged from 16 years on average for people aged 65 or less, to six or seven years for those over 75. Fewer than one in 100 developed a stroke each year. Ten years after surgery most people (94%) still had a good functioning valve.

Can you lead a normal life after heart valve replacement?

Pooled data from 85 studies estimated that 89.7% of people survived for two years after surgery, 78.4% at five years, 57.0% at 10 years, 39.7% at 15 years, and 24.7% at 20 years. Subgroup analysis showed that five-year survival declined with increasing patient age (from 83.7% in under-65s to 52.5% for those over 85).

Does heart valve Replacement reduce life expectancy?

Patients who have undergone surgical replacement of the heart’s aortic valve have a shorter life expectancy than the normal population, the loss in life expectancy being particularly marked in the young.