Anybody have a heart valve replaced?

I have a friend waiting for heart work. He needs to get a valve tuned up. They are going to do laposcopy so I don't think they will open him up completely. He had to quit smoking , drinking etc to get in good shape before he could be worked on though. But they say he will have less chance of infection this way. He is waiting for the call that will just come one day and he will be in.