5-35a.06:

You have been given a new aortic valve.

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.

Major, important blood vessels branch out of the heart. The main artery (aorta), originating from the left lower chamber (ventricle) of the heart, supplies the whole body with oxygen-rich blood. The right ventricle pumps oxygen-poor blood through the pulmonary artery to the lungs, where the blood is then enriched with oxygen. The aortic valve is located between the left ventricle and the aorta.

To carry out the treatment, a small incision is made in the left side of the chest. The cardiac apex is accessed via this incision. The new cardiac valve can then be inserted via a wire or a tube, through the cardiac wall.

An X-ray or an ultrasound scan is done during such a treatment. These analyses can be used to check whether the tools that have been inserted and the new cardiac valve are in the right place.