The minimally invasive aortic valve replacement is still the best option for aortic stenosis

Severe aortic stenosis is a very serious heart condition that requires immediate intervention to prevent sudden death and / or serious complications. There has been a lot of media coverage in recent years about the various ways to cure this heart valve disease. This caused a very confusing flow of information. Most patients find it difficult to make an informed decision. In this article you will receive a clear comparison guide and an overview of your options and why a minimally invasive aortic valve replacement is the best choice.

Medical therapy. By far the worst choice: no miracle cure can open a tight, calcified aortic valve. Sometimes patients with severe aortic stenosis breathe a little better when given diuretics like Lasix. This relief is temporary and most non-surgical patients die within two years regardless of the medical therapy they follow.

New catheter-based techniques are being developed to insert a new valve into the old valve by inserting a special catheter through a blood vessel in the groin. This may seem attractive to laypeople as it doesn't require open heart surgery, but it's not a good compromise. These techniques have a four times higher risk of stroke than a conventional surgical replacement of the aortic valve and are therefore only used in extremely sick, terminally ill patients who have been rejected by several cardiac surgeons.

Conventional aortic valve surgery by fracturing the breast bone gives good results, but requires a long recovery period, especially in the elderly and frail patients.

The minimally invasive aortic valve replacement can be done with a 2-inch rib cut that does not cut bones. Even the sickest and oldest patients can benefit from a quick recovery, less pain and less bleeding. Rapid wound healing and all they have is a tiny, barely noticeable scar on the side of the chest. This option is by far the best choice and can be offered in most prestigious minimally invasive cardiac surgery centers. It is worth going to one of these centers, even if it means leaving the state.