During Surgery
In the operating room, you will be given medication to help you relax and feel drowsy. You will be connected to a heart monitor and you will breathe oxygen through a face mask.
Next, you will be given general anesthesia. It includes intravenous medicine and anesthetic gases mixed with oxygen delivered through the face mask.
An intravenous (into the vein) line will be placed to deliver medications and fluid and measure the pressure in your heart and lungs. A transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) probe will be placed in your throat. The probe allows the surgeon to look at your valves before and after the surgery. A breathing tube will assist you during surgery and may cause a slight sore throat afterward.
During surgery, you will be placed on a heart-lung machine, which takes over the work of your heart and lungs. This machine provides oxygen-rich blood to all parts of the body using two tubes. The first tube is placed in your heart to carry blood to the machine, the second tube returns the blood to your body. Once your valve is repaired or replaced, you will be taken off the heart-lung machine.
Recovering from Heart Surgery provides more detailed information about your hospital stay, homecare guidelines, and long-term follow-up care.
Contact
For more information regarding mitral valve disease and the treatments available, please contact the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at (866) 662-8467, or request an appointment online.
Visit the Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Health Learning Center and Alberto Culver Women's Health Learning Center. These state-of-the-art health information libraries are among the largest hospital-based learning facilities of their kind. For more information call (312) 926-5465.
Mitral Valve Surgery
Before Surgery
Day before Surgery
Day of Surgery
During Surgery
After Surgery
Review Date: 08/07
