CaRi-heart technology
Revolutionary new technology to assess the risk of a serious heart condition or heart attack – many years before anything happens.
Heart valve surgery and care
- No.1 in the UK for private cardiac care
- UK's leading provider of private heart valve replacement and repair surgery
- Rapid access to heart valve replacement and repair across our hospital network
- Heart valve disease tests and diagnostics offered
- 99% of patients would recommend our cardiac care to friends and family
PRIVATE HEART VALVE SURGERY AT HCA UK
Why choose us?
Gain fast access to expert cardiac care from leading specialists in heart valve replacement surgery and in successful heart valve repair at our leading private hospitals and outpatient centres. With over 1,000 cardiac surgeries performed in the last three years, and a success rate above 99%, you can rest assured you'll be in the safest hands.
As the UK’s No.1 provider of private cardiac care, we offer pioneering, minimally invasive techniques that help you get back to your daily life as quickly and safely as possible. No wonder 99% of the 36,000 people we help each year say they’d recommend us to family and friends.
Heart valve surgery is a procedure to correct heart valve problems by either repairing a damaged heart valve or replacing it with a new valve. Replacement valves can be artificial (mechanical) or biological, made from animal or human tissue.
Heart valve surgery is usually performed via an incision through the chest (sternotomy), but, in some cases, it can also be done via keyhole or percutaneous (transcatheter) surgery. Generally, minimally invasive procedures lead to faster recovery times.
Heart valve surgery is usually performed via an incision through the chest (sternotomy), but, in some cases, it can also be done via keyhole or percutaneous (transcatheter) surgery. Generally, minimally invasive procedures lead to faster recovery times.
Heart valve surgery is typically offered to patients with heart valve disease that is severe or causing symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath and tiredness. Repairing or replacing a damaged or diseased heart valve can help prevent long-term damage to the heart.
While all surgery carries risks, heart valve surgery is generally serious but safe. Your surgeon will discuss any potential complications with you, including the risk of infection, bleeding or blood clots. They will also discuss the risks of not having surgery.
Our experienced cardiac surgeons often recommend minimally invasive heart valve replacement or repair surgery for patients who are experiencing severe symptoms but are considered too high risk to have traditional open-heart surgery.
Heart valve repair is a minimally invasive procedure that involves surgically fixing the patient's own valve to restore proper function, using a small device or clip.
Heart valve replacement is a more complex operation traditionally performed as open-heart surgery. With this approach, your experienced cardiac team will open your chest cavity (a sternotomy) to gain access to your diseased valve, which they’ll entirely remove. They’ll then sew a new mechanical or biological valve (made from animal or human tissue) into its place.
Some heart valve replacement such as aortic valve surgery is increasingly performed using minimally invasive keyhole procedures or catheter techniques (TAVI). The approach that’s best for you will depend on your age, your overall health, and the severity of your valve disease.
Repair is generally preferred because it preserves natural tissue and better long-term heart function, avoids the need for lifelong blood thinners and has a shorter recovery time. However, replacement surgery is necessary if the heart valve is too severely damaged by heart valve disease.
36,000+
Cardiac patients treated every year
99%
Success rate across all cardiac surgery
250+
Cardiology consultants for you to choose from
Next-day appointments
See a specialist and get on the path to an expert diagnosis in as little as 24 hours.
State-of-the-art diagnostics
With results in as little as 48 hours.
Wide-reaching expertise across the UK
Choose from 5 hospitals and 15 diagnostic centres in London, Manchester and Birmingham.
heart valve surgery with HCA UK
What to expect
From the moment you step through the door, until you’re ready to leave, we want you to feel as comfortable as possible. We do this by letting you know what to expect at each stage of your heart valve replacement or repair journey.
If you have any questions that aren’t answered here or in the FAQ section below, please contact your patient support team or clinical nurse specialist who will be able to help.
01
Initial consultation
Whether you’ve self-referred, or you have a referral from a GP, your first consultation will usually be with one of our cardiac specialists so they can examine you, find out more about your symptoms, and address any questions or concerns you may have.
Your consultant will ask you about your medical history and symptoms and arrange any imaging or diagnostic tests you might need.
The average age for a heart valve repair surgery is between 60 and 65 years old, while the average age heart valve replacement surgery is between 65 and 75 years old. However, this does vary significantly depending on the specific valve disease that you may have, the underlying cause of your condition and your overall health.
02
Tests and scans
Most of the time, you will complete any cardiac tests and imaging scans during the same week and receive your results within 48 hours. Tests you may need include:
- Echocardiogram (ultrasound scan of the heart)
- Coronary angiogram (X-ray scan of your heart arteries)
- CT with 3D reconstruction
- Chest X-ray
- Blood tests
Your case will be presented to the specialised dedicated cardiac multidisciplinary team, who hold regular meetings to ensure the highest level of best medical practice based on GMC guidelines.
Heart valve repair and heart valve replacement surgery are both serious procedures, so your case will be presented for consideration to the dedicated cardiac multidisciplinary team. They hold regular meetings to collaboratively assess each patient case and ensure the highest level of best medical practice based on GMC guidelines.
03
Your procedure
Depending on whether you need open or endoscopic surgery, the duration and preparation for your surgery will be different. Your consultant will discuss your specific procedure with you in detail.
04
Follow-up and after care
Immediately following surgery, you will spend a day or more in intensive care, before being moved to the cardiac ward for a few days to a week to recover. Your team of cardiac nurses will continue to monitor your blood pressure and heart rate until discharge.
You'll need to arrange for someone to take you home from hospital. You'll also need help at home for a couple of weeks following the procedure. Recovery from open heart surgery can take several weeks, with restrictions on lifting and strenuous activity. If you have a minimally invasive procedure you may benefit from faster recovery times.
If you are taking anticoagulants, you’ll need to have regular blood tests locally until you’re stabilised on the tablet. You’ll be seen by your consultant about six weeks after the operation.
You should be aware that heart valve surgery is a major procedure that commonly requires two-three months of recovery time if you’ve had an open-heart valve replacement. That recovery is sometimes as long as six months for patients with a more serious condition or who are in poorer general health. You may be offered cardiac rehabilitation which can greatly help with physical and mental recovery.
OUR LOCATIONS
Find private heart valve surgery near you
Across our extensive network of hospitals and treatment centres in London and Birmingham, our leading consultants are here to support you from the initial consultation through to aftercare and rehabilitation. HCA UK has some of the best heart valve surgeons in the UK and you can opt to have your heart valve repair or heart valve replacement surgery at any the following locations:
The Harley Street Clinic
35 Weymouth Street W1G 8BJ London
The Portland Hospital
205-209 Great Portland Street W1W 5AH London
London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
The Harborne Hospital
Mindelsohn Way B15 2TQ Birmingham
The Wellington Hospital
8A Wellington Place St John's Wood NW8 9LE London
Accessing private health care
Self-pay
You don’t need health insurance to be seen quickly. If you’re looking for a diagnosis or treatment and don’t want to wait, all our private healthcare services – from private GP appointments through to surgery and aftercare – can be paid for as and when you need them.
And to give you peace of mind from the start, we’ll offer you a clear and transparent quote outlining exactly what’s included in your self-pay package.
Heart valve surgery FAQs
When one or more of the heart's four valves stop opening or closing properly, this is called heart valve disease. It’s most commonly diagnosed in people aged 60-75, although your own heart health will depend on many factors such as diet and fitness, as well as your age.
Heart valve disease disrupts normal blood flow, forcing your heart to work harder. It ranges from mild to life-threatening and it can be treated with medication, heart valve repair or a total heart valve replacement.
Heart valve disease disrupts normal blood flow, forcing your heart to work harder. It ranges from mild to life-threatening and it can be treated with medication, heart valve repair or a total heart valve replacement.
Your consultant will explain the procedure, explain any side effects and answer any questions you may have. They will give you details of how to prepare prior to your surgery. As you'll be having a general anaesthetic, they will ask you to stop eating and drinking for six hours or more beforehand.
Surgeons prefer to repair valves rather than replace them, but many valves cannot be repaired. If this is the case, your surgeon will discuss the options for valve replacement with you, including whether to opt for mechanical or tissue valves.
Your actual procedure will vary according to whether you need open or minimally invasive surgery. Your consultant will discuss all this with you in detail beforehand.
Your actual procedure will vary according to whether you need open or minimally invasive surgery. Your consultant will discuss all this with you in detail beforehand.
Heart valve replacement is traditionally performed using open-heart surgery via an incision through the chest (a sternotomy).
But it’s also increasingly performed using minimally invasive keyhole procedures or catheter techniques (TAVI). The best approach for you will depend on your age, overall health, and the severity of your valve disease.
But it’s also increasingly performed using minimally invasive keyhole procedures or catheter techniques (TAVI). The best approach for you will depend on your age, overall health, and the severity of your valve disease.
You can expect to stay in hospital for anything from a few days to a week after your procedure. Your recovery time at home will depend on your specific condition and the type of surgery you’re having.
For example, open heart valve replacement surgery is a serious procedure, and you’ll have restrictions on lifting and strenuous activity until you’re seen by your consultant about six weeks after the operation. It’s common for it to take two to three months to fully recover, and if you have a more serious condition or poorer general health going into the operation, that recovery is sometimes as long as six months.
You may be offered cardiac rehabilitation with HCA UK, which is proven to greatly help with your physical recovery and with regaining confidence.
For example, open heart valve replacement surgery is a serious procedure, and you’ll have restrictions on lifting and strenuous activity until you’re seen by your consultant about six weeks after the operation. It’s common for it to take two to three months to fully recover, and if you have a more serious condition or poorer general health going into the operation, that recovery is sometimes as long as six months.
You may be offered cardiac rehabilitation with HCA UK, which is proven to greatly help with your physical recovery and with regaining confidence.
If you have a biological valve replacement, you may need to take an anticoagulant medicine for two to three months. This is to prevent blood clotting on the new valve and the sutures. If you have a mechanical valve replacement, you’ll need to continue with this medication for the rest of your life. Your consultant and team will provide all the information you need on what to expect after surgery.
You may be able to return to work a few weeks after your surgery, but this will depend on whether you’ve had heart valve replacement surgery or a heart valve repair and whether it was open surgery or a minimally invasive procedure. The type of job you have and whether it involves manual or strenuous activity also matters. Your consultant will let you know about your own situation and tell you when you can safely get back to your usual routine.
The cost of private heart valve replacement or repair surgery will depend on your particular diagnosis and any tests and scans you may need, alongside aftercare and rehabilitation.
Transparency matters to us at HCA UK, which is why we always offer clear pricing for self-pay patients. You can find more details in the ‘Accessing private healthcare’ section of this page.
Alternatively, refer to our guide to paying for private medical healthcare, or get in touch for a personalised quote.
Patient stories
Designing a new heart
Using his experience in 3D printing for his architecture clients, David built a life-size model of his own heart and ribcage to help visualise and plan his endoscopic heart surgery with Mr Toufan Bahrami.
Just two months after undergoing heart surgery at The Harley Street Clinic, David, who is in his 70s, is looking forward to his forthcoming trip to Copenhagen, Stockholm and Gothenburg with his wife.
How a valve replacement helped Steve breathe easy again
When Steve found out his breathlessness was caused by a narrowed aortic valve, he was terrified of the thought of the open-heart surgery that might be needed to treat it. But with the expertise of Professor Sagar Doshi at The Harborne Hospital, he learned he could have a ‘keyhole’ alternative called TAVI.
Kirti's heart rhythm story
How a life-changing cardiac procedure stopped Kirti worrying about her heart health. Kirti first felt a heart palpitation back in 2016 whilst out shopping. After delaying seeking specialist advice, she sought the expertise of Dr Mike Koa-Wing, Consultant Cardiologist at The Wellington Hospital, in 2020 after the palpations got worse. Here Kirti shares her story.
“I’m full of energy, doing the garden again and have my confidence back.”
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