Surgery Notes

Surgery on the heart valves can repair or even replace them with prostheses that can be entirely synthetic or biological materials. The latter can involve using tissue from human donors or animals.

Of the four valves are in the heart, the least affected in the adult is the pulmonary valve. Their involvement is almost exclusively congenital problems are often solved through interventions in childhood.

The mitral valve and aortic valve, which are respectively the inlet and the outlet valve of the left ventricle are the most affected in adult life are those having to open and close more than 36 million times a year supporting great pressure are subject to more wear and stress.

In addition to potential defects on these two valves, fortunately almost eradicated in Spain rheumatic fever was the most common cause of problems in the functioning of these valves.

The heart as a muscular pump, needs to be fed to maintain their function. Food and oxygenation of the heart muscle is achieved through the coronary arteries and their branches. There is a right coronary and left coronary artery, which are divided into many interconnected branches reaching all parts of the heart.

The coronary arteries can be affected by the so-called atherosclerosis or hardening with partial or complete blockage of the arteries. Atherosclerosis occurs when fatty deposits form hard, called plaque inside the arteries, producing a reduction in blood flow.

The presence of interconnections between the branches of the coronary arteries, can in some cases the presence of a complete or partial obstruction of a coronary branch is compensated by the neighboring branches.

When this obstruction can not be compensated, dependent areas of the heart muscle of the obstructed artery does not receive enough blood. This lack of irrigation is the cause of pain called angina or crushing chest. If lack of irrigation is complete and takes some time can cause death of muscle areas in the so-called myocardial infarction.

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