Congenital Valve Defects
What
Are Congenital Valve Defects?
Heart valves regulate the flow of blood
through the heart's four chambers —
the two upper "holding" chambers
called the atria
and the two lower "pumping" chambers
called ventricles.
Each ventricle has a one-way inlet valve
and a one-way outlet valve. In the right
ventricle, the inlet valve is the tricuspid
valve and the outlet valve is the pulmonary
valve. In the left ventricle, the inlet
valve is the mitral
valve and the outlet valve is the aortic
valve. Each valve consists of leaflets
(flaps) that open and close in one direction.
Symptoms may include:
- Shortness of breath when physically
active or lying down
- Dizziness or fainting
- A feeling of pressure in the chest
- A sensation of a rapid or irregular
heartbeat (palpitations)
- Weakness
- Anxiety attacks (mitral valve defect)
- Swelling (edema) in the feet, ankles
or abdomen (pulmonary valve defect)
- Several pound weight gain within a day
or so (pulmonary valve defect)
A heart murmur — a "swishing"
sound of blood flow heart by a stethoscope
— may be noticed. If suspected, valve
defects may be diagnosed with the following
tests:
Defects of the heart valves are grouped
according to which valve is involved:
- Aortic valve defects
- Mitral valve defects
- Pulmonary valve defects
- Tricuspid valve defects
Treatment Options
Treatment of heart valve disease depends
on the valve and the severity of symptoms.
If valve disease is mild to moderate, no
treatment may be necessary. In some cases,
medications may be prescribed to alleviate
symptoms.
Severely narrowed (stenotic) or leaking
(regurgitating) valves require surgery by
experienced cardiologists. Penn Cardiac
Care surgeons perform many valve replacements
and repairs every year. Patients who have
had this procedure do well.
The following procedures are available
to repair and replace diseased valves:
- Annuloplasty - This surgical technique
is performed on the valve's annulus —
the ring of tissue that supports the valve’s
leaflets — to make it smaller.
- Cardiac catheterization - This procedure
uses a balloon-tipped catheter to widen
the valve as the balloon is inflated.
- Structural repair - Surgical techniques
to repair the structure will replace or
shorten the valve’s supportive cords
— the chordae tendineae and papillary
muscles.
- Valvuloplasty - This surgical technique
involves surgically separating, pleating
or cutting out a part of a valve leaflet.
- Valve replacement - This surgical technique
involves removing the defective valve
and replacing it with a biological or
mechanical valve. Most valve replacements
are of the mitral or aortic valves.
Follow-up Care
Patients with valve disease should be monitored
at regular medical checkups by experienced
cardiologists. Patients with congenital
valve disease are at risk for bacterial
endocarditis,
an infection of the heart’s valves
or inner lining (endocardium.) Before having
certain dental or surgical procedures performed,
it may be necessary to take preventive antibiotics.
Need an appointment? Request one online 24
hours a day, 7 days a week; or call 800-789-PENN (7366) to speak to a
referral counselor.
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