Aortic insufficiency surgery complications

For the WikiPatient page for this topic, click here; For the main page of aortic insufficiency, click here


 * Associate Editor-In-Chief:, Varun Kumar, M.B.B.S., Lakshmi Gopalakrishnan, M.B.B.S., Mohammed A. Sbeih, M.D.[mailto:msbeih@perfuse.org]

Related Key Words and Synonyms: Aortic valve replacement.

Aortic Insufficiency Surgery Complications
Risks of any surgery


 * Pulmonary embolism where blood clots in the legs travel to the lungs
 * Blood loss
 * Breathing problems
 * Infection, including in the lungs, kidneys, bladder, chest, or heart valves
 * Reactions to medicines
 * Nausea and vomiting
 * Abnormal or painful scar formation
 * Allergic skin reaction

Possible risks from having open-heart surgery


 * Heart attack or stroke
 * Heart rhythm problems; such as atrial fibrillation
 * Infection at the site of the incision cut, which is more likely to happen in people who are obese, have diabetes, women, or have already had this surgery
 * Memory loss and loss of mental clarity, or "fuzzy thinking" or pump head
 * Post-pericardiotomy syndrome, which presents as a low-grade fever and chest pain. This could last for up to 6 months

Prosthetic heart valves are associated with a variety of complications


 * Structural deterioration, particularly with bioprosthetic valves
 * Valve obstruction due to thrombosis or pannus formation
 * Systemic embolization
 * Bleeding
 * Endocarditis and other infections
 * Left ventricular systolic dysfunction, which may be preexisting (Heart failure)
 * Hemolytic anemia