Mitral Valve Repair and/or Replacement

Surgeons use MVR to treat people who have severe diseases of the mitral valve—the valve located between the left chambers (left atrium and left ventricle).

There are several types of mitral valve disease. Some of the most common include:

• Mitral Valve Regurgitation. The flaps of the mitral valve don’t close tightly, causing blood to leak backward into the left atrium.
• Mitral Valve Stenosis. The leaflets become thick or stiff and may fuse together. This results in narrowed valve opening and reduced blood flow through the valve.

The type of treatment depends on the severity of your condition. Doctors will typically recommend surgery to repair or replace the mitral valves. Several surgical procedures (open-heart surgery and minimally invasive) exist to repair or replace mitral valves.

Before your surgery, you will receive general anesthesia so that you can remain asleep during the procedure. The surgery will take two to four hours. 

• Your surgeon may make an incision in the center of your chest to reach the heart so that they can repair or replace the mitral valve.

More information about Mitraclip and TMVR is coming soon.