The Rolling Stones singer will undergo major open-heart surgery next Friday to replace one of his heart valves. What is this heart operation? What are the risks ?
Stupor among Rolling Stones fans. On Saturday March 30, the English group announced in the press that it was canceling a series of concerts planned for the spring in the United States and Canada. In question: the state of health of its singer Mick Jagger, 75 years old. “Mick has been warned by doctors that he will not be able to continue the tour as he requires medical treatment. Doctors have told Mike that he needs to make a full recovery before he can hope to return to the stage on as soon as possible,” the group said in a statement posted on Twitter.
Heart valves
The Drudge Report site then provided more information, confirmed by the magazine RollingStone : if some tour dates have been canceled, it is because Mick Jagger must undergo Friday, April 5 in a New York hospital an open heart operation to replace one of his heart valves.
Indeed, the heart has four valves that open and allow blood to pass. Failure of one of these valves is called heart valve disease. The most commonly affected valves are the aortic valve, located between the left ventricle of the heart and the aorta, and the mitral valve, which is located between the left atrium and left ventricle.
What does the operation consist of?
The replacement of the aortic valve or the mitral valve is a heavy surgical operation which consists in removing the defective valve to replace it with an artificial prosthesis, of animal or synthetic origin. This operation is done with an open heart, under general anesthesia.
However, Mick Jagger could undergo a less cumbersome procedure, developed by heart surgeons in recent years. It consists of replacing the aortic valve without opening the thorax. As explained The voice of the North, a simple incision in the fold of the groin allows the surgeon to go through the femoral artery to introduce the artificial valve contained in a stent, a small wire mesh device in the form of a tube. It is a less invasive and less cumbersome procedure, which generally allows the patient to recover faster.
After the operation, care in the intensive care unit allows doctors to monitor the patient. It lasts an average of 7 to 10 days. A convalescence in a cardiac rehabilitation center follows, which can last up to 3 weeks.
What are the risks of complications?
Following aortic valve disease, complications can occur. The main one is heart failure. Other complications are possible such as heart rhythm disorders in the event of advanced valvulopathy, in particular mitral valvulopathy, or even infective endocarditis. The origin of the infection is most often a germ from the skin (staphylococcus) or from the mouth and teeth.
Another risk: that of the occurrence of a stroke, due to the formation of a clot in the left atrium, which can migrate and cause a stroke by arterial embolism.
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