The mitral valve of the heart acts like a door between the left atrium and left ventricle. When the heart beats, this valve should close tightly so blood only goes one way — but that doesn’t always happen. Mitral valve repair surgery is often recommended when you have severe mitral valve disease.
There are two main forms of mitral valve disease:
- Mitral valve regurgitation occurs when the heart’s mitral valve doesn’t close properly, allowing blood to leak back into the heart’s upper chamber. This can lead to symptoms like fatigue and shortness of breath.
- Mitral valve stenosis develops when the mitral valve in the heart gets too narrow, making it difficult for blood to flow smoothly. This can cause symptoms like tiredness, shortness of breath and chest discomfort.
Mitral valve surgery, available at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare in Memphis, is a procedure to fix these issues with mitral valve repair surgery.
Types of Mitral Valve Surgery
If your mitral valve disease is mild, your cardiologist may suggest that you take medications and monitor the condition by scheduling regular checkups. However, your cardiologist may recommend mitral valve repair surgery if your mitral valve disease is severe.
During mitral valve repair, the surgeon can repair the structure of the mitral valve by separating fused leaflets, patching holes, reconnect leaflets and removing any excess tissue.
The surgeon may also elect to perform one of these procedures:
- This surgery for mitral valve regurgitation repairs the heart valve by reinforcing, reshaping or tightening the annulus, the connective tissue between the left atrium and the ventricle. During this procedure, which can be done using minimally invasive techniques or through open-heart surgery, the surgeon sews a rigid or flexible band around the heart valve.
- Mitral valve clip (MitraClip). This procedure, which is performed in the cardiac catheterization lab, is done to treat mitral valve regurgitation. During mitral valve clipping, the cardiologist guides a catheter from the groin to the heart. Once the catheter reaches the site of the damaged mitral valve, a staple-sized metal clip is placed on the valve to tightly close it.
- This surgery, which is done for mitral valve stenosis, is a minimally invasive procedure performed in the cardiac catheterization lab. The cardiologist will guide a balloon-tipped catheter from the groin to the heart and inflate the balloon at the site of the narrowed valve. This procedure can restore blood flow within the heart.
When it comes to fixing a mitral valve in the heart, doctors often prefer repairing it rather than replacing it. One of the main benefits of repairing the valve is that it keeps the valve’s original structure.
This is important because your natural valve works best with the unique shape and movements of your heart. When the original valve is repaired, it can maintain normal heart function, which is better for your overall heart health.
Mitral Valve Repair Surgery Benefits
The benefits of mitral valve repair surgery include:
- Better long-term outcomes. Valve repair usually has better long-term results when compared to valve replacement surgery.
- Improved heart function. The heart can pump blood more effectively, which helps reduce the risk for heart failure.
- Quick recovery. Because mitral valve repair is often minimally invasive, patients typically recover more quickly and have a lower risk for infections.
- Reduced reliance on blood thinners. Some mitral valve replacement surgeries require patients to take blood-thinning medications indefinitely, which can increase the risk for bleeding issues.
Take Control of Your Heart Health
Reach out the Methodist Le Bonheur cardiology team to schedule an appointment and learn more about repair options for mitral valve disease.
