Valvuloplasty
Valvular heart disease occurs when one or more of your heart valves (aortic, mitral, tricuspid and pulmonary) do not function properly. Common causes of valvular heart disease include rheumatic fever, infection, congenital abnormalities and age related changes.
There are several terms describing heart valve disease:
- Stenosis – the valve leaflets becomes thickened, stiff or fused together resulting in a smaller opening and less blood flow through the valve. Examples would be aortic stenosis and mitral stenosis.
- Regurgitation / Insufficiency – the valve leaflets do not close properly resulting in some blood flowing backward rather than forward in the heart. This is often referred to as a “leaky” valve. Examples would be aortic regurgitation and mitral regurgitation.
The main indication of heart valve disease is a heart murmur heard through a stethoscope. A physical examination and various heart tests help confirm the diagnosis of heart valve disease. Mild heart valve disease generally does not cause any symptoms. More severe or advanced heart valve disease may be associated with symptoms of fatigue, tiredness, palpitations, edema (swelling of the ankles, feet or abdomen) and shortness of breath.
Depending on the extent of the heart valve disease and other factors, you may need to have the valve replaced or repaired. If the valve needs to be replaced, a cardiovascular surgeon replaces the damaged valve with a tissue or mechanical valve. When possible, heart valve repair is preferred over heart valve replacement.
Valvuloplasty is a non-surgical technique performed in a catherization laboratory, not unlike the coronary interventional procedure. Heart valves that don’t open fully (stenosis) can be repaired with balloon valvuloplasty.
During the procedure by an interventional cardiologist, a balloon-tipped catheter is threaded from your femoral artery in your leg into the heart and advanced to the damaged heart valve. The balloon is inflated to dilate or widen the opening of the valve. The dilation results in increased blood flow through the valve. The balloon is then deflated and removed along with the catheter. You’re awake during the procedure. Mild sedation may be given.
At St. Paul Heart Clinic, balloon valvuloplasty is performed by Dr. Kenneth Baran.
Dr. Baran is one of the most experienced cardiologists in the region and serves as the primary referral resource for other cardiovascular centers in the upper Midwest for balloon valvuloplasty repair procedure.
Learn more about Dr. Baran
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