Mitral valve repair and mitral valve replacement are "open heart" procedures used to treat mitral valve disease.
The mitral valve controls blood flow from the left atrium into the main pumping chamber of the heart called the left ventricle. The valve opens in between heartbeats, allowing blood to flow into the left ventricle. The valve then closes when the ventricle contracts, preventing blood from leaking back into the lungs. The mitral valve may fail to fully open (stenosis) or close (regurgitation) due to degenerative disease, scarring due to previous rheumatic fever, or as a consequence of infection or coronary artery disease.
Mitral valve repair or replacement is indicated when a diseased valve causes symptoms of heart failure. Mitral valve repair may also be indicated for severe mitral regurgitation even before symptoms have occurred as appropriately timed operative intervention can prevent irreversible damage to the heart. We make recommendations regarding the indications for and timing of mitral valve operations in collaboration with our cardiology colleagues applying the latest medical evidence to each individual patient.
We are usually able to successfully correct mitral regurgitation with mitral valve repair. Replacement of the mitral valve is often required for patients with a combination of stenosis and regurgitation. In selected patients, these operations may be done through less invasive incisions.
For additional information, click on the following links:
Mitral valve repair
http://www.sts.org/sections/patientinformation/valvesurgery/mitralvalverepair/
Mitral valve replacement
http://www.sts.org/sections/patientinformation/valvesurgery/mitralvalvereplacement/