Heart Valve Disease

What is a Heart Valve Disease? 

Heart valve disease is when one or more valves in a heart does not work correctly or properly. At CHRISTUS Health, our board-certified cardiologist have the experience and expertise to treat various heart valve conditions. With our advanced technology to diagnose and treat heart valve disease and disorders using the most advanced treatment options, focusing on minimally invasive valve surgery.

Treatment for Heart Valve Disease

CHRISTUS Health offers state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment of heart valve disease and disorders using the most advanced treatment options, focusing on minimally invasive valve surgery.

Our highly trained and experienced cardiothoracic surgeons and cardiologist work closely together to assess each patient’s condition to determine the most suitable medical or surgical treatments, or combination of both therapies. Diseases that may be treated by valve surgery include:

• Aortic valve disease (stenosis and regurgitation)
• Mitral valve disease (stenosis and regurgitation)
• Pulmonary valve disease (stenosis and regurgitation)
• Tricuspid valve disease (stenosis and regurgitation)

In addition, the Heart Valve Center is the leader in our region for minimally invasive cardiac valve surgery, with by far the most experience and effective results.

Criteria for Patients with Severe Aortic Stenosis

Severe aortic stenosis is a very serious problem. Without treatment, half of the people who feel sick from this problem die within an average of 2 years.

Did you know that only 30% of nationwide surgical candidates with severe aortic stenosis receive appropriate surgical intervention?

Patients referred to the Heart Valve Center should meet one or more of the following criteria. Our goal is to ensure every patient with AS is evaluated by our team and severe AS is defined by the ACC/AHA Guidelines as meeting one or more of the following criteria:

• Mean Gradient > 40 mmHg, or
• Valve Area < 1.0 cm2, or
• Max Jet Velocity > 4m/s