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You have been given a new mitral valve.

A thoracoscopy was carried out so that your heart could be operated on. A bronchoscopy first involves making a small incision in the skin. A tube with a camera is pushed through this incision. This camera sends pictures of the inside of the body to a screen. Instruments such as forceps and scissors can be inserted through other small incisions in the chest.

The heart pumps blood through the body. Inside the heart are 4 chambers. There are 2 heart atria and 2 ventricles. Both heart atria and both ventricles are separated from each other by a partition. There are 4 valves in the heart. These valves ensure that the blood flows in the right direction. So they have to close tightly. They also have to open up fully so that the blood can be properly pumped out of the heart.

The mitral valve is located between the left atrium and the left ventricle in the heart.

You have had your mitral valve replaced by a new heart valve.

Synthetic material was used for the replacement valve.

A heart-lung machine may be used during heart valve surgery. During surgery the task of a heart-lung machine is to replace the heart and lung functions. Amongst other things, the heart-lung machine enriches the blood with oxygen and pumps it around the body.