Mitral Valve Replacement Side Effects and Warnings

Possible Complications

If you are planning to have a mitral valve replacement, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Damage to the heart or other organs
• Reaction to anesthesia

The demands of open heart surgery are severe. The better your general health, the less likely you will experience a complication. Some of the risk factors that must be evaluated before you undergo this procedure include:

• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Blood clotting disorders
• Cancer

Call Your Doctor

After you leave the hospital, contact your doctor if any of the following occurs:

• Signs of infection, including fever and chills
• Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or any discharge from the incision site
• Constipation , diarrhea , bloody or tarry-color bowel movements, or stomach pain
• Weight gain (greater than two pounds in two days)
• Worsening of ankle swelling
• Severe headache
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain
• Coughing up blood
• Skin rash, or unusual bruising or bleeding
• Confusion
• Dizzy or lightheaded when standing
• Tingling in hands and feet
• Irregular heartbeat, extremely slow pulse, or fast pulse
• Burning during urination

In case of an emergency, CALL 911.