AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT

Course overview

THE AORTIC VALVE LIES AT THE JUNCTION OF THE LEFT VENTRICLE AND AORTA AND IS A SEMILUNAR VALVE WITH THREE LEAFLETS. IT ALLOWS UNIDIRECTIONAL BLOOD FLOW FROM THE LEFT VENTRICLE TO THE AORTA AND THE REST OF THE BODY. BECAUSE OF THE HIGHLY COMPLEX AND SOPHISTICATED CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR FUNCTIONS, THE THIN VALVE LEAFLET CAN WITHSTAND EXTREME MECHANICAL AND HEMODYNAMIC FORCES WITH EVERY CARDIAC CYCLE. VARIOUS FACTORS INCLUDING AGE AND CONGENITAL DEFECTS CAN COMPROMISE THE NORMAL VALVULAR FUNCTION LEADING TO A WIDE VARIETY OF COMPLICATIONS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF AORTIC PATHOLOGY, THE INDICATIONS, AND CONTRAINDICATIONS TO AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT, AND THE TYPES OF VALVE REPLACEMENTS THAT EXIST. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS WITH AORTIC VALVE DISEASE.