How Interventional Cardiology Can Help Prevent Heart Attacks
Interventional cardiology can improve your heart health and lower your risk of a heart attack. Learn how angioplasty, cardiac catheterization, and other procedures can help.
What Happens After Valvuloplasty?
Valvuloplasty is a surgical procedure to restore blood flow through the heart. If you’re planning to have this surgery, it can help to understand what to expect during your recovery and beyond.
At Chinatown Cardiology, with four New York City locations, we offer mitral balloon valvuloplasty to treat mitral valve stenosis, a narrowing of the heart’s mitral valve.
Our experienced cardiology team helps you prepare for your procedure and offers ongoing guidance to ensure a complete recovery.
What to know about valvuloplasty
The goal of valvuloplasty is to open a narrowed heart valve and clear blockages that obstruct healthy blood flow.
The procedure involves a small, narrow tube (catheter) your provider inserts into a blood vessel in your groin. They guide the tube through the vessel and up to your heart.
Attached to the catheter is a balloon that your surgeon gently inflates to widen the walls of the mitral valve. This structure receives blood from your lungs and the left ventricles of your heart. By widening the valve, blood can flow freely through the heart and the rest of your body.
Mitral balloon valvuloplasty is effective for moderate to severe mitral valve stenosis and can relieve symptoms like persistent chest pain, chronic fatigue, and shortness of breath.
Expectations for your valvuloplasty recovery
Mitral balloon valvuloplasty is an inpatient procedure that we complete in a hospital. You can expect to spend 1-2 days in the hospital under observation after your surgery.
As part of your observation, we perform an echocardiogram, a noninvasive test that uses sound waves to create images of your heart. Our team uses advanced imaging technology to check for abnormalities that can interfere with the function of your heart.
We also provide care to prevent infection at the catheter insertion site and the formation of blood clots. A few hours after your procedure, you can eat a light meal. Also, drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
Home care after valvuloplasty
Once you return home from the hospital, keep the catheter insertion site clean and dry. Avoid baths, showers, and swimming until your skin heals.
Walking as much as you can helps lower your risk of blood clots, but don’t engage in other strenuous activities until you’ve healed. We can provide additional information during your checkup concerning when it’s safe to return to work and other activities.
It’s common to have bruising or redness at the insertion site in the days after surgery. Let our office know right away if you experience any of the following post-surgery:
- Fever
- Pain
- Swelling
- Dizziness
- Excessive bleeding
- Chest pressure or pain
- Changes in frequency of urination
We offer flexible appointment times to evaluate without delay any issues you experience during recovery. Our cardiologists can also recommend lifestyle and diet changes to optimize your heart health and prevent additional complications.
Call the Chinatown Cardiology office near you to learn more about the benefits of valvuloplasty, or request a consultation online today.
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