Mitral Valve Repair
At Providence, our experienced team of heart care specialists are committed to providing best-in-class, compassionate care with the latest technological advancements to repair mitral valve leaks (regurgitation) so you can enjoy doing the things you love.
At Providence, you can trust our experts to provide world-class mitral valve repair care.
- Experience. Doctors with more experience provide patients with better clinical outcomes. The Mitral Foundation recommends selecting a Center where more than 50 mitral valve procedures are performed annually.
- Comprehensive care. We make sure to connect you with the care team you need. Starting with comprehensive diagnostics like advanced imaging, echocardiography, MRI, CT scan and angiography, those results allow us to create an informed treatment plan with your board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon. And then a team of specialists work together in managing your post-op care. You can rest assured you’re getting the most comprehensive care available.
- Personalized, compassionate care. Our multidisciplinary team evaluates each patient to determine if your specific condition requires surgery. Based on that assessment, a treatment and follow-up plan are developed that consider your treatment goals as well as your personal care needs and the needs of your family.
The mitral valve is one of four valves in the heart that ensure blood flows in the right direction. The mitral valve is located on the left side of the heart between the collecting chamber (left atrium) and the pumping chamber (left ventricle). It prevents blood from being pumped back into the lungs.
Valves can be either too tight (stenosis) or leak (regurgitation or insufficiency). The mitral valve can leak for several reasons, most commonly due to degenerative mitral valve disease. If the leak is severe enough, surgery should be undertaken to repair the valve. This can be done using robotic or other minimally invasive techniques. Repair of the mitral valve is generally recommended over replacement of the mitral valve.
Some patients are candidates for minimally invasive mitral valve repair. This approach can provide the same clinical outcomes as traditional surgery but with the added benefits of smaller scars, lower rates of bleeding and transfusion, faster recovery and less need for pain medication. After surgery, patients typically return to full activities in about 3-4 weeks compared to patients who have open surgery, who will generally take up to 3 months to recover.
Robotic mitral valve repair is one type of minimally invasive mitral valve repair that allows the surgeon to use “wristed” robots, giving them better mobility and dexterity when holding the surgical instruments than if they held them themselves.
Patients who require additional cardiac procedures, elderly patients and those who have weak hearts or very diseased arteries may not be candidates for minimally invasive mitral valve repair. Your cardiac surgeon will discuss your options with you.