Determining Your Risks

• Patients who may be indicated for heart valve replacement should discuss their risks of surgery with both their cardiologist and cardiothoracic surgeon. Considerations that should be taken into account include age, overall health, other medical conditions and heart function. While no predictions are absolute, patients should be made aware of potential complications that can occur following surgery.
  
  

Minor Complications

• Surgical complications as a result of valve replacement fall into two categories: minor, which are typically temporary conditions that subside in a matter of weeks, and major, which require surgery or medical attention.
  
  Minor complications can be due to reactions from general anesthesia, including nausea and vomiting. Other complications include skin numbness, bleeding from the surgical site, bruising or even an abnormal heartbeat as the heart becomes accustomed to the new valve.
  
  

Major Complications: Heart Attack

• The risks of complications builds if a patient has chronic conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, lung disease or kidney disease. One of the complications includes heart attack, which occurs in four out of every 1,000 procedures, according to EMedTV.com.
  
  The heart must work harder to pump blood and oxygen throughout the body during surgery. If a vessel or artery (or even multiple ones) are blocked, this can cause the heart to pump insufficient oxygen to the heart muscle. As a result, a heart attack can occur.
  
  

Stroke

• A complication that can occur in 4 out of every 100 valve replacement procedures, a stroke can occur when a blood clot breaks off in the heart's arteries. This clot can then travel to the brain and block arteries, which causes a stroke. A stroke is considered a serious complication because the longer a person's brain is deprived of oxygen, the more likely a person is to experience paralysis, speech problems or even death.
  
  

Organ Malfunction

• In addition to damage to the heart, risks associated with valve replacement include damage to the lungs, kidneys or other surrounding organs. Because the heart plays a role in the function of every part of the body by supplying blood and oxygen, heart valve replacement may cause unexpected damage to other organs. If damage to the kidneys occurs, dialysis (which uses a machine to mimic kidney function) may be necessary.