Heart Valve Replacement Surgery Valve replacement surgery is
generally performed as an open-heart procedure in the operating
room of a hospital. It may also be done as a minimally invasive
surgery. Although valve surgery is an intricate procedure, it is
also common. In the majority of cases, valve replacement surgery
is a straightforward procedure with a high rate of success and a
low risk of complications. A cardiac surgeon, who specializes in
heart surgery and has had years of training, will do the
surgery. A team of nurses, an anesthesiologist, and possibly a
surgical resident will assist the surgeon. In rare cases, a more
complex operation is done. The aortic valve may be replaced with
one of the person's other heart valves (usually the pulmonary
valve between the lower right heart chamber and the opening to
the artery that goes to the lungs). Since the pulmonary valve is
used in the heart to replace the aortic valve, an artificial
valve is implanted to replace the pulmonary valve. This type of
valve surg