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AQUIRED HEART EFECTS
Rheumatic Heart Disease
The
human heart has four chambers; the right upper chamber receives the
impure blood from the body, which is then pumped into the lungs by the
right lower chamber. The blood purified by the lungs now returns to
the left upper chamber and is pumped to rest of the body by the left
lower chamber. Hence, blood moves freely from the upper to the lower
chambers in one direction only because of the presence of valve
Certain
types of throat infections (Streptococcal) can sometimes affect the
heart in varying degrees. They can either cause fusing of the valve
leaflets tightly together preventing it from allowing blood to flow
freely past it or tether the valve thereby making it leak. Isolated
valve obstructions can be treated without surgery (Balloon Valvuloplasty).
However valves unsuitable for this procedure need to be surgically repaired
or replaced depending on the extent of damage. A wide variety of artificial
valves are now commercially available which include metallic and tissue
valves.
|
 |
 |
| Seen here are intra
operative pictures of a tissue (left) and a metallic valve (right) sutured
in place. |
CLINICAL
SERVICES >SURGICAL
CORRECTIONS > AQUIRED
HEART EFECTS
