Survival and Mortality Rates with Heart Valve Disease and Surgery
Survival and mortality rates isn’t a subject anyone is excited to talk about, but we must talk about it when it comes to having heart valve disease and surgery.
There are potential risks when undergoing any surgery, even a minimally-invasive surgery. When it comes to heart valve surgery, there isn’t a set percentage, per se, for the survival or mortality rates, because it’s very situational; the numbers depend on the patients. For example, a healthy 50-year-old who needs to undergo heart valve surgery might have a 0.5 percent risk of death (1 out of 200), but an 85-year-old patient with other health problems could have a 10 to 15 percent (or more) mortality rate. However, to give you a ballpark average, according to The Society of Thoracic Surgeons the mortality rate for heart valve surgery is about 1.7 percent. In some clinics, this percentage is even lower.
If you’re having heart valve issues, an experienced heart valve surgeon, like Dr. Peter Mikhail, will meet with you, give you an exam and look at your history to determine if you are a candidate for mitral valve surgery, mini-AVR or TAVR. Even if you are a good candidate, the doctor will make you aware of the risks that come along with the procedure. If the procedure is too risky for you, the doctor will not suggest surgery.
If a person with severe heart disease is a candidate for surgery, then surgery is highly recommended. Without surgery, the patient could risk an early death. For example, a person who has severe aortic stenosis only has an average 50 percent survival rate after 2 years with the severe disease and only 20 percent after five years if he or she goes without surgery.
Each year, more than 700,000 heart surgeries take place globally, and more than 250,000 of these surgeries are valve repairs and replacements. With such a large number of people undergoing this surgery you don’t have to worry about having some new, untested surgical procedure.
If you’re hesitant about having heart valve surgery, we understand. You want to look for a surgeon who will answer all your questions, and who is extremely experienced in this type of surgery. Dr. Peter Mikhail, who is based in New Port Richey, Florida, is one of the foremost authorities and specialists in mitral valve surgery, mini-AVR and TAVR. To book a consultation, click here or call his office at 727-312-4844.
