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Heart Valve Disease

The heart has four chambers. The upper two are the right and left atria. The lower two are the right and left ventricles. Blood is pumped through the chambers, aided by four heart valves. The valves open and close to let the blood flow in only one direction. Each valve has a set of flaps (also called leaflets or cusps). When working properly, the heart valves open and close fully.

The tricuspid valve is between the right atrium and right ventricle.
The pulmonary valve is between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery.
The mitral (bicuspid) valve is between the left atrium and left ventricle.
The aortic valve is between the left ventricle and the aorta.

Issues

Heart valves don't always work as they should. A person can be born with an abnormal heart valve, a type of congenital heart defect. Also, a valve can become damaged by infections or conditions such as rheumatic fever.

A defective heart valve is one that fails to fully open or close. A stenotic heart valve can't open completely, so blood is pumped through a smaller-than-normal opening. A valve also may not be able to close completely. This leads to regurgitation (blood leaking back through the valve when it should be closed).

Treatment

People with congenital heart valve defects may need treatment with drugs. Some valve defects may be repaired or replaced during surgery.

Robotic Surgeries

Where traditional open surgeries require large incisions and long recovery times, the da Vinci® Surgical system provides surgeons with an alternative to both traditional open surgery and conventional laparoscopy, putting surgeons hands at the controls of a state-of-the-art robotic platform. The da Vinci® System enables surgeons to perform even the most complex and delicate procedures through very small incisions with unmatched precision resulting in less pain, scarring and quicker return to normal activities. For years, Advocate Christ Medical Center has been pioneering the use of minimally invasive techniques.

Visit Advocate Christ Medical Center's website: Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery

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