Balloon valvuloplasty is a minimally invasive procedure which has a much shorter recovery time than open heart surgery. It involves passing a thin plastic tube (catheter) through a large blood vessel into your heart. A balloon is then inflated to open up your valve. This procedure can delay surgery for children until they are old enough for valve replacement.
Balloon valvuloplasty
Why do you need valvuloplasty?
- You have severe valve narrowing and are having symptoms
- You have narrowing of the mitral valve (mitral valve stenosis), even if you don’t have symptoms
- You have a narrowed tricuspid or pulmonary valve
- You or your child has a narrowed aortic valve (aortic valve stenosis)
What happens during a valvuloplasty?
This procedure is performed under local anaesthetic and light sedation. After your skin has been numbed a thin tube (catheter) with a small balloon attached to it will be passed into your heart. The balloon is inflated inside the narrowed valve to make it wider and increase the blood flow.
When valvuloplasty procedure is recommend?
- You have severe valve narrowing and are having symptoms
- You have narrowing of the mitral valve (mitral valve stenosis), even if you don’t have symptoms
- You have a narrowed tricuspid or pulmonary valve
- You or your child has a narrowed aortic valve (aortic valve stenosis)
After your procedure
Although the procedure is significantly less invasive than open surgery, you will still need to stay in hospital overnight. You may be advised not to participate in any strenuous activities you can return to work and resume normal activities