The cardiologist will have explained to you the indications for the homograft implantation. The surgeon will explain to you how to prepare for the surgery. Take this as an opportunity to ask any questions you have so that you can really understand the valvular procedure.
Heart valve implantation is an open heart surgery.
The duration for each surgery can vary and usually lasts for a minimum of four hours. For a simple surgery without post-operation complications, a patient can be discharged in less than a week.
Heart valve implant surgery benefits patients in the following ways:
- Symptoms experienced will either improve or disappear - Ability to resume normal active lifestyle- No medication for blood thinning or immunosuppressants will be required
Patients will be on regular follow-up consultations with the surgeon and cardiologist to ensure best recovery after operation.
What are heart valves, vascular tissues, and trachea homografts?
Heart valves are important structures that prevent blood from flowing backwards into the heart when the heart pumps. Heart valves may not function properly in:
- Children who have congenital heart diseases and are born with abnormal or missing valves - Patients whose hearts valves have stopped working properly due to acquired heart valve diseases or infections
Advantages of cardiovascular homografts
Recipients do not need to take lifelong blood thinning medications after their transplant.
Will donors suffer disfigurement?
A donor's body is treated with the utmost respect. Homograft donation does not disfigure the body and does not interfere with the funeral, including open casket funerals.
Who can donate?
Anyone can donate! Do not assume that you are not healthy enough or too old to donate. Like many transplantable tissues, heart valves, trachea, and vascular tissues can be donated up to 24 hours after death.
Stringent donor evaluation will be performed before the tissues are released for recipients' use.
How do I sign up as a donor of heart valves, vascular tissues and/or trachea?
Anyone above the age of 18 can make this life-saving decision by completing an Organ Donation Pledge Form and submitting it to the National Organ Transplant Unit (NOTU). The form can be downloaded from www.liveon.sg. Speak to your loved ones about donation. Share your wishes with your family, so that at the time of donation, they will know that they are acting according to your wishes.
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