What Types of Heart Disease are Treated with Surgery?

What Types of Heart Disease are Treated with Surgery?

If you’ve been diagnosed with heart disease, you may have questions about your next steps. Depending on your condition, your doctor may or may not recommend heart surgery. Here is a look at the types of heart disease that are often successfully treated with surgery.

Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease is a common condition in which cholesterol builds up in the arteries and forms plaques, which restrict or even block the blood flow. Treatment options vary depending on how much plaque has built up and how well the heart is functioning. If the blockage form the plaque is less serious, you may undergo an angioplasty to help widen the arteries. In more serious cases, your heart surgeon may recommend bypass surgery.

Valvular Heart Disease

Sometimes the valves of your heart don’t work the way they should, either as the result of a congenital condition, bacterial infection, or calcification. They can also begin to deteriorate with age. Depending on how severe the damage is to the valves, they can often be surgically repaired or replaced.

Congenital Heart Disease

About 1 in every 100 newborns in America is affected by congenital heart disease, most of which can be surgically repaired. Depending on individual circumstances, the problem may either be addressed during childhood, or later as an adult.

Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms

A thoracic aortic aneurysm is an abnormal bulge that appears in a weakened area of the aorta in the chest cavity. If left untreated, they can be fatal. With surgical treatment, surgeons can prevent the aneurysm from enlarging or rupturing.

Heart Tumors

Tumors that originate in the heart are rare, affecting only about 1 in 2,000 people. About 75% of these tumors are myxomas, which usually appear on the left atrium. The most effective treatment option is surgery to remove the tumor.