The reason things are not clear to you is that the timing of surgery is not a black and white decision. There are many factors that are used in the decision of when to proceed and what type of surgery to have. Some of the factors are patient age and other medical problems, heart function, severity of valve dysfunction, symptoms, heart size, presence of coronary artery blockages and patient preference. You can see that the decisions involved are complex and must be customized to each patient. I hope you find this information useful.
Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only.
Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem. Information contained within this forum is intended solely for general educational purposes and is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice relative to your specific medical condition or question. Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies.