Valve Surgery Clinic
The outpatient Valve Surgery Clinic provides post-operative care and assistance to patients who have had valve surgery. The clinic is under the direct supervision of a cardiac surgeon with expertise in valvular surgery.
The Valve Surgery Clinic has been an integral part of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute for close to 25 years. With the increasing volume of valve surgeries over the past two decades, our patient population has grown to more than 5,500, with the addition of approximately 200 to 300 new valve patients every year.
Our services include:
- Weekly clinics for up to 40 patients
- Yearly phone follow-ups on more than 1,000 patients
- Complete post-operative clinical assessment with emphasis on the cardiovascular system and valve-related issues (anticoagulation, valve durability, thromboembolic complications, infection and its prophylaxis)
- Evaluation of heart function through laboratory blood tests, chest X-ray, ECG, and echocardiogram
- Referral service to other specialists for evaluation and treatment of new medical problems
- Identification of patients requiring a surgical re-evaluation of their valve condition
- Introduction to novel methods of anticoagulation management
A primary goal of the clinic is to systematically collect post-operative clinical information to help us better understand the various challenges encountered by our patients after their surgery. The information gathered covers history of hospital readmissions, functional status, medications, anticoagulation protocol, and findings of a complete cardiovascular examination. Laboratory test results, chest X-ray, ECG, and echocardiographic data are also collected.
