Valve Repair & Replacement
When a heart valve becomes diseased, it can become narrowed or leaky. A narrowed valve restricts the flow of blood, forcing the heart to work harder; and a leaky, or regurgitant, valve allows the blood to flow backwards.
These are used to replace the heart's natural valves when they are damaged or diseased and no longer competently control the flow of blood within the heart.
These new valves are made without the plastic "stents, " or frames, that support other prosthetic tissue heart valves. This design allows surgeons to implant a larger valve carrying more blood and making each heartbeat more effective in supplying oxygenated blood to the circulatory system.