Mitral Valve Replacement Surgery

The exact risks of mitral valve surgery vary depending on the person's specific condition and general health prior to surgery. Younger, healthy people have a lower risk of problems while older people with other health problems have a higher risk.

In general, the risks include:

• Effects from the operation itself (such as bleeding, infection, and risks associated with anesthesia).
• The risk of death from the surgery is about 3% to 9%.^{Reference 2} This risk can be higher or lower depending on many things such as age, heart health, and other medical problems.
• Blood clotting caused by the new valve. Replacement with a mechanical valve requires lifelong treatment with anticoagulant medicine to prevent dangerous blood clots.
• Infection around the artificial valve.
• Failure of the new valve. There is a small chance that the valve will not work. Your doctor will need to check from time to time to make sure that your valve is working.
• The need for another valve replacement surgery. Artificial valves last only for a limited time. Having valve surgery again will depend on what type of valve you have and how long you live after your first surgery.

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