Heart Valve Surgery at Karolinska University Hospital

Heart Valve Surgery provides specialized surgical treatment for selected patients with significant heart valve disease. The procedure may involve repairing or replacing a damaged heart valve to improve blood flow through the heart, support cardiac function and reduce symptoms or complications associated with severe valve disease.

Price

Price on Request

Why Price on Request?

The cost of heart valve surgery varies according to the type of valve disease, valve affected, complexity of the procedure, surgical technique, preoperative investigations, anesthesia, hospital stay, postoperative monitoring and follow-up care. A personalized cost estimate can be provided after medical assessment.

Complete Description

What Is Heart Valve Surgery?

Heart Valve Surgery is a specialized cardiac surgical procedure used to treat significant abnormalities affecting the heart valves.

Surgery may involve:

• Heart valve repair

• Heart valve replacement

• Aortic valve surgery

• Mitral valve surgery

• Tricuspid valve surgery

• Complex valve procedures

The appropriate procedure depends on the patient's valve condition and overall health.

Who May Need Heart Valve Surgery?

Heart valve surgery may be considered for patients with:

• Severe valve stenosis

• Severe valve regurgitation

• Symptomatic valve disease

• Reduced heart function associated with valve disease

• Progressive valve deterioration

• Structural valve abnormalities

• Valve disease causing significant cardiovascular complications

The need for surgery is determined through specialist assessment.

Preoperative Heart Valve Assessment

Before surgery, patients may undergo detailed evaluation including:

• Cardiology consultation

• Echocardiography

• ECG

• Cardiac imaging

• Laboratory testing

• Heart-function assessment

• Medical history review

• Anesthesia assessment

These investigations help the cardiac team determine the appropriate surgical approach.

Aortic Valve Surgery

Aortic valve surgery may be required for significant aortic valve disease.

Depending on the patient's condition, treatment may involve:

• Aortic valve repair in selected cases

• Surgical aortic valve replacement

• Complex aortic valve procedures

• Combined cardiac surgery when required

Mitral Valve Surgery

Mitral valve surgery may be performed for selected patients with significant mitral valve disease.

Surgical options may include:

• Mitral valve repair

• Mitral valve replacement

• Complex mitral valve surgery

• Combined procedures when clinically indicated

Tricuspid Valve Surgery

Selected patients with significant tricuspid valve disease may require surgical evaluation.

Treatment may involve:

• Tricuspid valve repair

• Tricuspid valve replacement

• Combined valve procedures

• Other cardiac surgical interventions when required

Heart Valve Repair

Valve repair aims to preserve the patient's own valve whenever technically and clinically appropriate.

Potential advantages of repair may include:

• Preservation of native valve tissue

• Restoration of appropriate valve function

• Individualized surgical treatment

Whether repair is possible depends on the valve anatomy and underlying disease.

Heart Valve Replacement

When a valve cannot be adequately repaired, replacement may be considered.

Valve replacement involves removing or treating the diseased valve and replacing it with an appropriate prosthetic valve.

The choice of replacement depends on factors including:

• Valve location

• Patient age

• Medical condition

• Valve anatomy

• Long-term treatment considerations

Complex Heart Valve Surgery

Some patients require complex cardiac surgical planning because of:

• Multiple valve disease

• Previous cardiac surgery

• Severe valve dysfunction

• Reduced heart function

• Associated coronary artery disease

• Complex cardiac anatomy

Such cases may require multidisciplinary evaluation.

Combined Cardiac Procedures

In selected patients, valve surgery may be performed alongside another cardiac procedure.

Depending on the patient's condition, combined treatment may involve:

• Coronary artery bypass surgery

• Aortic surgery

• Other valve procedures

• Additional cardiac interventions

The treatment plan is determined by the cardiac surgical team.

Minimally Invasive Surgical Assessment

Selected patients may be evaluated for less invasive surgical approaches where clinically appropriate.

The suitability of a minimally invasive approach depends on:

• Type of valve disease

• Valve anatomy

• Surgical complexity

• Previous procedures

• Overall health

• Individual surgical risk

Postoperative Heart Valve Care

Following surgery, patients require specialized monitoring and recovery care.

Postoperative management may include:

• Heart-function monitoring

• Rhythm monitoring

• Pain management

• Infection prevention

• Wound care

• Medication management

• Mobility and rehabilitation

• Follow-up cardiac imaging

Cardiac Rehabilitation

Following recovery, selected patients may benefit from cardiac rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation may support:

• Improved physical strength

• Exercise tolerance

• Cardiovascular fitness

• Safe return to daily activities

• Lifestyle improvement

• Long-term heart health

Long-Term Follow-Up After Valve Surgery

Patients may require ongoing cardiac follow-up after valve surgery.

Monitoring may include:

• Valve function

• Heart rhythm

• Heart function

• Symptoms

• Medication requirements

• Prosthetic valve function where applicable

• Cardiovascular health

Heart Valve Surgery Second Opinion

Patients may seek a heart valve surgery second opinion regarding:

• Recommended valve surgery

• Valve repair versus replacement

• Surgical timing

• Echocardiography findings

• Complex valve disease

• Previous cardiac surgery

• Proposed treatment approach

Relevant cardiac records and imaging can be reviewed during specialist assessment.

International Patient Heart Valve Surgery

International patients seeking heart valve surgery in Sweden should provide relevant medical records whenever available.

Useful documentation may include:

• Cardiology reports

• Echocardiography

• ECG results

• Cardiac CT or MRI

• Coronary angiography

• Laboratory results

• Previous cardiac surgery reports

• Current medication list

• Previous treatment records

Complete records can help the specialist team assess surgical requirements and plan further care.

Benefits of Specialized Heart Valve Surgery

Specialized cardiac surgery may help:

• Treat severe valve disease

• Improve abnormal valve function

• Reduce symptoms

• Support heart function

• Address valve-related complications

• Provide valve repair or replacement

• Manage complex cardiac conditions

• Coordinate multidisciplinary cardiac care

• Support postoperative recovery

• Provide specialist surgical second opinions

Why Choose Karolinska University Hospital for Heart Valve Surgery?

Karolinska University Hospital is a major university hospital in Sweden providing highly specialized cardiac and surgical care.

Patients with complex heart valve disease may be assessed through relevant cardiology and cardiac surgery services according to their diagnosis, medical needs and eligibility.

The specific surgical procedure depends on specialist assessment.

Cost & Price on Request

Price: Price on Request

The total cost depends on the valve affected, surgical complexity and associated medical services.

Potential costs may include:

• Cardiac surgery consultation

• Preoperative testing

• Echocardiography

• Cardiac imaging

• Laboratory investigations

• Anesthesia

• Valve repair or replacement

• Hospital care

• Postoperative monitoring

• Cardiac rehabilitation

• Follow-up care

A personalized cost estimate can be requested following specialist assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Which heart valves can require surgery?

Surgery may be required for significant disease affecting the aortic, mitral or tricuspid valves, depending on the patient's condition.

2. Is heart valve repair better than replacement?

Repair may be preferred when it is technically and clinically appropriate, but replacement may be necessary when the valve cannot be adequately repaired.

3. How is heart valve surgery planned?

Planning usually involves cardiac imaging, specialist assessment, laboratory testing and evaluation of the patient's overall health and surgical risk.

4. Can I get a heart valve surgery second opinion in Sweden?

Patients may request specialist review of their diagnosis, imaging and proposed surgical treatment, subject to applicable hospital requirements.

5. Can international patients receive heart valve surgery in Sweden?

International patients may request specialist assessment and treatment subject to applicable hospital processes, medical requirements, eligibility and program availability.

Product Details

Product Name: Heart Valve Surgery

Hospital: Karolinska University Hospital

Brand: Karolinska University Hospital

Country: Sweden

Specialty: Cardiology & Cardiac Surgery

Service Type: Heart Valve Surgery

Customer-Facing Price: Price on Request

International Patients: Subject to applicable eligibility and program requirements

Location: Stockholm, Sweden