Does heart valve replacement require thoracotomy?

In general, heart valve replacement requires thoracotomy.

Traditional heart valve replacement usually involves splitting the sternum from the middle, exposing the heart to the surgical field, stopping the heart with the help of cardiopulmonary bypass, and replacing the diseased valve tissue. However, with the advancement of science and technology, some patients can replace the heart valve without thoracotomy. The surgical method is mainly transcatheter aortic valve replacement, but the technical requirements for the operator are relatively high.