Care for Valve Disease
“I have so much to live for.” – Dick Maurer of Bethlehem, Pa., is grateful he is able to spend quality time with his granddaughter, Anna, again. Surgery to replace his aortic valve and repair an aneurysm gave him his life back.
Blood flows through your heart with the help of valves between your heart’s four chambers. When a valve can’t open completely, blood is pumped through a smaller-than-normal opening. When a valve can’t close completely, blood leaks back into the previous chamber. If you have valve disease, you may experience chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, inability to sleep, fatigue, and swelling in the ankles, wrists or abdomen.
Diagnosis
We offer several tests to diagnose valve disease. Our experienced, knowledgeable and caring staff uses state-of-the-art technology and equipment for all of these tests:
- Cardiac Catheterization
- Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- CT Scan
- Echocardiogram (Echo)
- Stress Echocardiogram (Echo)
- Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG)
- Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE)
Treatment
If diagnostic tests determine you need a procedure to repair or replace a damaged heart valve, you’ll get the care you need at Lehigh Valley Health Network. We are the third largest heart program in Pennsylvania and are recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” for heart care and heart surgery.
We offer these procedures to repair or replace a damaged heart valve:
Need Help? Call 610-402-CARE (8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday) to talk to nurses and other experts who can help you find a heart care doctor and more.
This page last updated 12/11/08 08:56 PM
