Aortic Stenosis
Sutter Heart & Vascular Institute

What is aortic stenosis?
Aortic stenosis, also known as aortic valve stenosis, is the narrowing of the aortic valve. The aortic valve lets blood flow from the heart's left ventricle into the aorta. When this valve starts to narrow, impeding the blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta, the heart begins to compensate and starts to pump harder to increase the blood flow. This puts strain on the heart muscle, causing the muscle to thicken and become less efficient.

What causes aortic stenosis?
There are three conditions known to cause aortic stenosis: a congenital heart defect of the bicuspid valve present since birth, wear and tear on the bicuspid valve due to aging, and damage to the bicuspid valve due to an illness (rheumatic fever).

What are the warning signs and symptoms of aortic stenosis?
Chest pain, Shortness of breath, and fainting are all symptoms of aortic stenosis. Experiencing any of these symptoms is extremely serious and can be symptoms of a number of heart conditions. Contact your physician today if you are experiencing one or more of the above symptoms.

How is aortic stenosis detected?

• Chest X-ray - a simple x-ray of the chest can reveal problems with the aortic valve due to an enlarged aorta or fluid in the lungs caused by heart failure.
  
• Electrocardiogram (EKG) - an EKG records the hearts electrical activity and can detect an abnormal heart rhythm caused by the thickening of the heart muscle.
• Echocardiography - an echocardiography is an ultrasound of the heart which can detect a thickened aortic valve, the size of the heart chambers, and even the pressure difference on either side of the aortic valve.
• Coronary Catheterization - catheterization of the heart is standard for evaluating the severity of the patient’s aortic stenosis. Small tubes are placed in the aortic valve and are used to measure the pressure on either side of the aortic valve and the rate of blood flow across the aortic valve.

What are the treatment options for an aortic stenosis?
Aortic stenosis is a serious condition that can only be corrected with surgery. After your stenosis is evaluated through coronary catheterization you cardiologist can discuss which surgery option would be best for you. 

• Ross Procedure - The Ross Procedure is a specific type of Valve Replacement Surgery. It is an open-heart surgery during which the pumping and oxygenation function of the heart is taken over by a heart-lung machine, and medications are given that briefly paralyzes the heart (cardioplegia). Read more about the Ross Procedure...
• Valve Replacement Surgery - This surgery is an open-heart procedure to remove the poorly functioning (either stenotic or insufficient) valve, and replace it with either a mechanical (synthetic/man-made) or a tissue (biologic/from another organism) valve. Read more about Valve Replacement Surgery...  
• Valve Repair Surgery - is an open-heart procedure to fix a poorly functioning heart valve, often without the need for mechanical or biological parts. Fused valve leaflets may be separated (called a Commissurotomy); calcium deposits hindering valve function may be removed; pieces of floppy/weak valve leaflets may be removed (called a resection); and holes or tears in valve leaflets may be patched. Read more about Valve Repair Surgery...  
• Valvuloplasty - is a catheter-based procedure that allows balloon opening of a stenotic heart valve. A catheter with a balloon attached is inserted into a groin artery, and advanced to the heart. Read more about Valvuloplasty...