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Valve surgery
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| valve surgery | |||||
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Valve surgery
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Introduction
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The valves of the heart are designed to ensure that blood flows only one way through the circulation. Occasionally these valves can either become narrowed (valve stenosis) and cause an obstruction to flow, or leaky (valve regurgitation) allowing some backflow when the heart contracts. Mild forms of valve stenosis and regurgitation are common and usually well tolerated by the heart, leading to few or no symptoms. More severe cases will require surgery to repair or replace the valve. |