Minimally Invasive Valve Surgeries
Inland Northwest’s Largest Robotic Thoracic Program
At Providence Heart Institute of Spokane, we take great care in finding and treating problematic heart valves while prioritizing your recovery. With the largest robotic thoracic program in the Inland Northwest, we use minimally invasive techniques as often as possible to potentially reduce pain and improve recovery time with fewer complications.
Repairing Valves with Greater Precision and Better Outcomes
Heart valves are flaps that direct blood flow through the heart. When they become narrowed, blocked or leaky, you may need surgery to repair or replace them.
In the past, valve procedures required open-heart surgery. But at Providence Heart Institute of Spokane, our heart surgeons have been on the leading edge of heart and lung care for more than 60 years, using less invasive techniques with smaller incisions.
Minimally Invasive Valve Surgeries
We specialize in multiple minimally invasive valve surgeries, including:
You may need heart valve repair or replacement surgery if any of your heart valves are damaged or not working properly. Heart valve repair can help with valves that have minor tears, leaks or narrowing.
Heart valve replacement treats more severe damage and involves removing the valve and replacing it with either a biological valve made of tissues or a mechanical valve made of other durable material.
Heart valve repair or replacement can be an open surgery or a minimally invasive procedure depending on factors like the complexity of the patient’s condition and the state of their overall health.
When the mitral valve is damaged or not working properly, it can affect blood flow through your heart and lead to symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, or irregular heart rhythms. Mitral valve repair and replacement procedures can restore healthy blood flow, improve heart function, and help you return to the activities you enjoy. Our heart specialists provide personalized treatment options, from minimally invasive approaches to advanced surgical techniques, tailored to your unique needs.
Robotic cardiac surgery uses advanced robotic technology to help surgeons perform certain heart procedures through smaller incisions than traditional open-heart surgery. This minimally invasive approach may reduce pain, scarring and recovery time while delivering the same high level of surgical precision. Our experienced heart team evaluates each patient individually to determine the most appropriate treatment plan and provide personalized care every step of the way.
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a minimally invasive alternative to open-heart surgery for patients who need valve replacement to treat severe aortic stenosis. To complete TAVR, a doctor inserts a new, collapsible artificial aortic valve into the heart with a thin flexible tube called a catheter, requiring only a small incision in the thigh or groin.
The MitraClip is the world’s first transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) therapy for patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR) who aren’t candidates for open-heart surgery.
When you have MR, the heart’s mitral valve doesn’t close properly, causing blood to leak backward or regurgitate into the upper chamber of the heart. Receiving the MitraClip device can reduce regurgitation by tightening the mitral valve’s seal.
Valvuloplasty is a minimally invasive procedure used to widen a narrowed heart valve, most commonly the aortic, mitral or pulmonary valve. During the procedure, a catheter with a small balloon on its tip is guided through a blood vessel to the affected valve, where the balloon is inflated to improve blood flow.
Valvuloplasty can help relieve symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain and fatigue, and may be used as a temporary or long-term treatment depending on your condition.
What to Expect
With any heart procedure, it helps to know what you can expect in advance. We’re here to guide you before, during and after your procedure – answering any questions, helping you prepare for surgery and recovery, explaining potential risks and offering whatever support you need along the way.
Frequently Asked Questions
On the morning of your surgery, you’ll come to the hospital for heart tests and blood tests, so we can confirm it’s safe to do the procedure. You’ll also receive an IV sedative to help you relax.
Then, you’ll head to the operating room, where you’ll get an IV with general anesthesia to put you to sleep during the surgery. You’ll also have a breathing tube in your mouth that’s attached to a ventilator, which helps you breathe during and shortly after surgery.
You’ll be in surgery for 3 to 6 hours, depending on the specific procedure. After surgery, you’ll go to the ICU for close monitoring.
Open-heart surgeries typically require blood transfusion, but with minimally invasive surgery, most patients don’t need a transfusion because there’s less blood loss. Whenever possible, we perform bloodless surgery, designed to prevent the loss of blood and eliminate the need for blood transfusions.
As you recover from heart surgery, call your doctor if you have any concerns. Contact your care team right away, if any of the following occur
- Chills
- Continuous nausea or vomiting
- Fast or irregular heart rate
- Fever that’s 100.4ºF or higher
- Numbness in the arms and legs
- Pain, redness, swelling or bleeding from your incision
- Swelling, especially in the legs
Call 911 if you have trouble breathing or think you’re having a heart attack or stroke.