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Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin’s Valvular Disease Clinic offers comprehensive, collaborative care for valvular disease patients. We offer all surgical options including valve repair and replacement, as well as medical treatment, disease management, patient education and follow up care.
Evaluation and Imaging ExpertiseThe Valvular Disease Clinic has all the latest imaging technology needed to accurately diagnose and evaluate valvular disease. It’s the first step in our continuous spectrum of care. The echocardiograph laboratory has been accredited by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories, a national accreditation agency that requires rigorous standards for performance and interpretation of echocardiograms. Our exceptional sonographers are specifically further trained to image for valve diseases. They take extra steps to evaluate the severity of the valvular disease and produce a more detailed evaluation. Our advanced imaging technology includes:
Echocardiography
An echocardiogram, or “echo” as it is sometime called, uses ultrasound technology to take images of your beating heart. An echocardiogram provides valuable information about your heart and how blood flows through it.
3-D Echocardiography
A 3-D echocardiogram is more advanced than a standard echo, providing more accurate, detailed images of your valvular function.
Stress Echo/Doppler Exams
We perform stress echo testing specifically for evaluating valvular disease. An echocardiogram is done before, during, and sometimes after the heart is stressed, usually through exercise. This test helps us evaluate how well your heart and valves function. The Doppler exam, which can be done with black and white or color images, uses sounds waves to measure the direction, amount and speed of your heart’s blood flow.
Minimally Invasive Valve Surgery OptionsWhen a patient needs to have a heart valve repaired or replaced, Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin offers minimally invasive surgical options, which are not always an option at other facilities. Minimally invasive surgical techniques use smaller incisions and can be done without going through the front of the chest and cutting the sternum (breastbone.) The patient benefits because there is generally less pain, fewer complications, shorter hospital stays and shorter recovery times with minimally invasive procedures.
Procedures on the mitral, aortic and tricuspid valves can all be done using either a traditional, open method or a minimally invasive procedure. At Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin, if it’s appropriate for the patient, our first choice is always the minimally invasive approach, which leaves the sternum intact. That’s our standard of care.
However, not everyone can have minimally invasive procedures, and each case is evaluated individually to ensure the best possible outcome for that patient. Underlying medical conditions, multiple heart problems and other factors may mean a patient will do better with a traditional, open procedure.
Valve Board ConferenceThe Valve Board Conference is a monthly meeting of cardiologists; cardiac surgeons, cardiac, anesthesiologists and other specialists to discuss the complex, challenging cases. Having multiple opinions from doctors with highly specialized expertise means a better overall treatment recommendation for that patient. It’s just one more example of our collaborative approach to patient-focused care.
Other Treatment Options While some patients may need surgery to repair or replace a heart valve, others may need only to be monitored for any changes to their condition. At Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin, we offer the entire spectrum of care for valvular disease.
Medical Management
Patients with less severe cases of valvular disease may require only medical management, which includes regular evaluation, treating any infections or associated problems and watching for any signs that a patient’s condition may have worsened. For many valvular disease patients, medical management includes prescribing preventative antibiotics before dental and other invasive procedures. We urge valvular disease patients who have been prescribed antibiotics before dental procedures to take that responsibility seriously. It’s an important step in protecting against potential valve infection.
Interventional Cardiology and Balloon Valvuloplasty
For some patients with valvular stenosis, a procedure called balloon valvuloplasty, performed by an interventional cardiologist, can open heart valves that are stuck shut. Performed in the cath lab, this procedure uses a balloon to open the problem valve and help restore normal blood flow.
Author: Joan Pike | Medical Reviewer: | Timothy Woods, MD, FACC | | Medical College of Wisconsin Cardiologist |
Last Review Date: August 5, 2008 Online Editor(s): Richard Petre |
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