HEART AND LUNG SURGERY << BACK Valve Replacement and Valve Repair Surgery The heart valves open and close, controlling the direction of blood flow through your heart. There are four valves in your heart: the aortic, mitral, tricuspid and pulmonary valves. Heart valve surgery is done to repair or replace diseased heart valves. Your surgeon may recommend heart valve surgery for either narrowing of the valve or a leaking valve. Valve problems may be caused by infections such as rheumatic fever, birth defects, calcification, or certain medications such as Fen-Phen. Defective valves may cause congestive heart failure and infections. Heart valve surgery is open-heart surgery done while the patient is under general anesthesia. Providence Heart Institute surgeons also do minimally invasive valve procedures (see below). Valves may be repaired or replaced with either natural or artificial valves. If you receive an artificial valve, you will need to take lifelong medication to prevent blood clots. Natural valves rarely require lifelong medication. After surgery, you can expect to stay in the intensive care unit for 24 hours. You can expect a total hospital stay of one to two weeks, and a recovery period of one week. The success rate of heart valve surgery is very high.