Heart Valve Repair & Replacement
Heart valve surgery is a highly specialised area of cardiac care that requires an individualised approach for each patient. Some valves can be preserved and reconstructed with durable repair techniques, while others require replacement using mechanical or biological prosthetic valves. The decision depends on factors such as valve structure, associated heart disease, and the individual's overall heart function.
The surgical team at Aster Hospitals carefully evaluates the timing of intervention, as operating before irreversible cardiac damage develops can significantly improve long-term heart function, recovery, and quality of life. Here, the cardiac surgery team addresses both repair and replacement using techniques tailored to each patient's valve anatomy, cardiac function, and strategic future planning.
This treatment focuses on correcting valves that do not open or close properly, affecting normal blood flow through the heart. Depending on the severity and urgent need of the condition, treatment may include medications, minimally invasive procedures, valve repair, or valve replacement surgery to restore efficient cardiac function and prevent long-term complications.
Hence, an accurate preoperative assessment and advanced cardiac imaging are important for planning the most appropriate surgical strategy. An early intervention, when indicated, can help to prevent progressive heart failure, rhythm disturbances, and irreversible cardiac damage.
Valvular dysfunction produces symptoms that overlap with many other cardiac conditions, which is partly why it is often missed. The most consistent ones to watch for include:
An echocardiogram, transthoracic or transoesophageal, confirms the diagnosis, grades the severity, and guides the surgical decision.
Moderate valve disease can remain stable for years, but severe dysfunction causes irreversible myocardial remodelling if surgical correction comes too late. The left ventricle dilates, its contractility falls, and the damage becomes permanent even after a technically successful valve procedure.
This is why the best cardiologist in Dubai follows evidence-based thresholds, symptoms, ejection fraction measurements, and chamber dimensions to correctly time mitral valve replacement or aortic valve replacement. Operating too early exposes the patient to surgical risk without benefit. Operating too late means some of the damage cannot be undone.
This heart valve repair, when feasible, preserves the native valve structure and avoids the long-term anticoagulation required with mechanical prostheses. For this mitral valve specifically, repair consistently outperforms replacement on survival data when the anatomy permits it. Aortic valve replacement, by contrast, more often requires prosthetic implantation, biological or mechanical, depending on the patient's age and individual risk profile.
Heart valve replacement surgery now also has a transcatheter option for selected patients with aortic stenosis who cannot safely undergo open surgery. Our team evaluates each patient through a multidisciplinary heart team meeting before recommending a pathway.
Centres that perform more valve procedures consistently report lower complication rates, and our team's experience across the full spectrum of valve pathology, rheumatic disease, degenerative prolapse, bicuspid aortic valve, and endocarditis reflects this breadth.
At Aster Hospitals, our intensive care and post-operative rehabilitation teams are integrated into the cardiac surgery pathway from the start. Our programme for heart valve repair & replacement surgery in Dubai covers:
Our cardiac surgeons and interventional cardiologists are among the best heart valve doctors in Dubai, trained at internationally accredited programmes. Patients who need surgical cardiac care should schedule appointments with our surgeons.
The SHIP (Surgical Hinge Implantation with Patch) technique is a valve repair method used in selected patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease. Rheumatic mitral valve repair is a surgical procedure that restores the function of a mitral valve damaged by rheumatic heart disease while preserving the patient's native valve.
This technique addresses commissural fusion and restricted leaflet movement by combining commissurotomy with reconstruction using a pericardial patch and artificial chordae.
This procedure helps to restore commissural flexibility, improve leaflet mobility, and increase the mitral valve opening. By preserving the native valve and improving blood flow across it, the SHIP technique may offer favourable functional outcomes in appropriately selected patients.
How long does heart valve replacement surgery take?
Most single-valve procedures take between three and five hours under general anaesthesia.
Is minimally invasive cardiac surgery suitable for everyone?
Not universally. Anatomy, previous surgery, and valve pathology all influence whether a minimal-access approach is appropriate.
Which hospitals are considered the best for heart surgery in Dubai?
Aster Hospitals is consistently regarded among the best heart hospitals in Dubai, with a cardiac surgery programme that covers the full range of valve repair and replacement procedures.
Who is the best cardiologist in Dubai for valve disease?
Our team at Aster Hospitals includes cardiologists with subspecialty training in structural heart disease. We recommend an initial consultation to match your clinical needs to the right specialist.
Last updated: 12-08-2026
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