Pulmonic valve stenosis occurs when the pulmonic valve is not able to open normally in systole. This results in right ventricular pressure overload, right ventricular hypertrophy and eventual ...

Pulmonic valve regurgitation occurs when blood leaks abnormally backward from the pulmonary artery through the pulmonic valve into the right ventricle. This can result in right heart failure.

Q. I have a leaky heart valve that may need surgery down the road. Can you tell me about heart-valve surgery in one of your columns? A. First, let’s explain briefly how the heart works.

New 20-year data show a survival rate of 90% with few repeat surgeries after this complex operation that can only be performed by highly trained specialists.

During the surgery, the malfunctioning aortic valve is replaced with the patient’s own healthy pulmonary valve-a technique called an autograft-and the pulmonary valve replaced with donor tissue. “The ...