Why it's done

An aortic valve replacement is used to treat conditions affecting the aortic valve. These are known as aortic valve diseases.

The 2 main aortic valve diseases are:

These problems can be something you're born with or can develop later in life.

Causes of aortic valve disease

Some of the main causes include:

Problems caused by aortic valve disease

If you have aortic valve disease, you may not experience any symptoms at first.

But the condition can eventually become more severe and cause:

In particularly serious cases, aortic valve disease can lead to life-threatening problems such as heart failure.

When surgery is recommended

If you have an aortic valve disease and you have no or only mild symptoms, you'll probably just be monitored to check whether the condition is getting worse.

If your symptoms become more severe, you'll probably need surgery to replace the valve.

Without treatment, severe aortic valve disease is likely to get worse and may eventually be fatal.

Page last reviewed: 1 August 2019
Next review due: 1 August 2019