
- MitraClip. This is a clip inserted through the groin vein to repair deformed mitral leaflets. ...
- Percutaneous rings. There are ways to repair mitral valves using rings that can be inserted through the groin or neck veins to help the valve close better. ...
- Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR). In this procedure, a surgeon guides a hollow catheter into your heart through a vein in your groin vein. ...
How long can you Live after mitral valve repair?
It is seen that once a successful surgery of mitral valve repair is done, a patient may live without complications for at least 10 years. With recent scientific advancement and with proper after surgery care procedures, the patients are seen to lead a complication free life even after 20 years.
Is Coumadin necessary after mitral valve repair?
Oct. 27, 2004 (Seattle) — Patients who are in sinus rhythm after mitral valve repair are not at risk for stroke and therefore do not require the standard three-month course of warfarin (Coumadin ...
What is the treatment for a leaking mitral valve?
- Right mini-thoracotomy. The surgeon inserts special instruments and repairs the valve through a 2- to 3-inch incision in a skin fold on the right side of the chest.
- Partial upper sternotomy. This also involves a 2- to 3-inch incision, this time in the upper portion of the sternum. ...
- Robotically assisted mitral valve repair. ...
What is minimally invasive mitral valve repair?
Overview
- Right Mini-Thoracotomy. The right mini-thoracotomy is performed with a 2- to 3-inch skin incision created in a skin fold on the right chest, providing an excellent cosmetic result.
- Partial Upper Sternotomy. ...
- Robotically-Assisted Mitral Valve Repair. ...

What is the success rate of mitral valve repair?
With proper patient selection and timely intervention, the estimated success rate of mitral valve repair surgery is around 95%. Almost 95% of patients are free of reoperation for 10 years. At 20 years, around 90% of people do not need reoperation for mitral valve repair.
How long does it take to get over mitral valve repair surgery?
What is the recovery like for mitral valve repair? Recovery from valve repair surgery usually takes four to eight weeks. Some people may need longer.
How long can you live after mitral valve repair?
Overall 1‐ and 5‐year survival was 90.7%, 74.2% versus 81.3%, 61.0% (P<0.01). Median survival after MV ‐repair was 7.8 years, close to 8.5 years (95% CI : 8.2–9.4) in the age‐matched UK population (ratio 0.9). Rate of re‐operation for MV ‐dysfunction was 2.3% versus 2.5% (mitral valve replacement, P=1.0).
Is it better to have a mitral valve repaired or replaced?
Whenever possible, it's better to repair the mitral valve rather than replace it.” Mitral valve repair may help you to avoid complications that can occur with mitral valve replacement, including the risk of blood clots with mechanical valves.
How painful is mitral valve repair surgery?
You will be asleep during the operation and will feel no pain. Some surgeons may prefer to perform the surgery through a small incision in the breastbone (sternum) or under the right pectoral muscle in your chest - these are called minimally invasive procedures.
Is mitral valve surgery serious?
As with any surgical procedure, mitral valve surgery has risks. The most serious complications associated with mitral valve surgery include stroke, placement of a pacemaker, kidney failure, lung failure, and wound infection.
Does mitral valve surgery shorten your life?
The results of the study showed that the life expectancy of mitral valve repair patients matched the average life expectancy at any age between 40-89. In the 20-39 year range, there were very few deaths limiting predictability, but survival also appears to be normative.
What is the average age for heart valve replacement?
Fact: Valve Replacement and Heart Bypass surgery (or a combination of the two) are the most common procedures in the “elderly.” Fact: More than 30% of the patients having heart valve surgery are over 70. Fact: More than 20% of heart valve surgical patients are over 75 years of age.
Can mitral valve be repaired without open heart surgery?
Mitral valve repair and mitral valve replacement may be done as an open-heart surgery procedure or as minimally invasive heart surgery. Sometimes a mitral valve problem may be treated with a catheter-based procedure.
When should you have mitral valve surgery?
The most common indication for mitral valve surgery is symptomatic chronic severe primary mitral regurgitation, usually owing to degenerative valve disease, with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of >30% (Class I recommendation); mitral valve surgery is indicated in symptomatic patients with severe LV ...
How often do mitral valve repairs fail?
We reviewed our experience with 512 patients who had mitral valve repair from 1979 to 1993. In 309 the repair was done for degenerative disease of the mitral valve, and during a mean follow-up of 42 months, the failure rate was 3%. The actuarial freedom from failure was 96% at 10 years.
How long can a person live with severe mitral regurgitation?
Widely disparate estimates of long term survival in patients with mitral regurgitation—between 97–27% at five years—have been reported.
How long is recovery from heart valve repair?
How long does it take to recover after heart valve surgery? Recovering from valve surgery usually takes most people between 4 and 8 weeks. If you had minimally invasive surgery, you may recover even sooner.
How long does it take to recover from heart valve surgery?
It takes about four to eight weeks to recover from heart valve surgery. But your recovery may be shorter if you had minimally invasive surgery or surgery through a vein.
Can you exercise after mitral valve repair?
Exercise is just one great way to help prevent your heart from having a major issue again. Exercise is recommended and encouraged after heart valve surgery.
What Is Mitral Valve Repair Surgery?
When the mitral valve is severely diseased it can lead to heart failure and associated symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue as well as...
What Happens in Mitral Valve Repair Surgery?
In mitral valve repair surgery, patients are taken to the operating room and put to sleep in the way they usually are for open-heart surgery. Then...
Can All Mitral Valves Be repaired?
The simple answer is no, however its important to remember that in the right hands, the majority of valves can be repaired. The things that may pre...
What’S The Difference Between Mitral Valve Repair and Mitral Valve Replacement Surgery?
In mitral valve repair surgery the patient keeps their own valve and a number of techniques as described above are used to repair the valve so it f...
Can Mitral Valves Be Repaired Without Surgery?
Advances in technology have meant that there are ways in which the mitral valve can be repaired without having to undergo open-heart surgery. The m...
What Is Robotic Mitral Valve Repair?
Robotic mitral valve repair surgery is an exciting option that involves the use of the Da-Vinci robot. This allows the mitral valve to be repaired...
How Long Does A Mitral Valve Repair Last?
This depends on the operation performed and the condition of the valve and the heart at the outset. In general, if performed in an experienced cent...
What Are Restrictions After Mitral Valve Repair?
Patients are placed on a blood thinner called Coumadin for 4 weeks after the repair. If a full sternotomy is performed where the chest is cut open...
Important Considerations For Mitral Valve Repair Surgery
As a structural heart and valve specialist I cannot emphasize enough the importance of going to a very experienced center when mitral valve surgery...
What is the procedure for mitral valve repair?
Many patients with mitral valve disease have atrial fibrillation, (an abnormal heart rhythm.) For these patients, at the time of mitral valve repair, Cleveland Clinic surgeons perform an ablation (Maze procedure) with the intent of curing the atrial fibrillation. In some patients with atrial fibrillation, a sternotomy (standard) ...
What is a prolapsed mitral valve?
Mitral valve prolapse is a common condition in which the mitral valve leaflets are floppy or loose. Mitral valve prolapse is diagnosed by echocardiography. Most patients with mitral valve prolapse do not have a leaky valve and do not require surgery.
What causes mitral regurgitation?
The most common cause of mitral regurgitation is a condition called degenerative mitral valve disease —this is also called mitral valve prolapse, myxomatous mitral valve disease, and a floppy mitral valve. Such valves can be repaired (rather than replaced) in more than 95% of patients. Cleveland Clinic heart surgeons have ...
What is the grade of a leak in a regurgitation?
In most facilities, the regurgitation (leak) is graded on a scale from 0 to 4, with 0 being no leak and 4 being a severe leak. Surgery should be considered in virtually all patients with a leak that is graded as a 4 (severe) and in some patients with a leak that is graded as a 3 (moderately severe).
Can you reoperation after mitral valve repair?
Thus, reoperation is uncommon after a successful mitral valve repair. An echocardiogram is recommended annually to assess valve function. In addition, patients who had valve surgery must take steps to prevent infection and reduce the risk of endocarditis (an infection of the valve).
Can a Cleveland Clinic surgeon repair a leaking mitral valve?
In these re-operative settings, Cleveland Clinic surgeons can safely and effectively repair nearly all leaking mitral valves.
Can a mitral valve be repaired?
In rare instances, a mitral valve repair may fail over time. While most surgeons replace such valves, Cleveland Clinic surgeons can frequently re-repair these valves, offering excellent long-term durability and the important advantages that go with mitral valve repair.
What is functional mitral valve regurgitation?
Then the mitral valve regurgitation that is really rewarding to repair because it’s one of the things that helps that patient have a normal life expectancy is mitral valve rotation due to a floppy valve. That’s really common.
How many times does a mitraclip work?
The goal of the MitraClip is to – as your leaflets come together with every single heartbeat, 60 . 70, 80 times a second, that clip is just going to capture those leaflets as they come together and hold them together. For some patients, that’s enough to prevent regurgitation. Some patients need a second clip.
What is a Mitraclip?
Chikwe, the MitraClip is a “Game Changer” for patients with functional mitral regurgitation who did not have many surgical options available to them prior to the development of transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) devices.
Can you repair a mitral valve?
There’s something very special about repairing a mitral valve, repairing an aortic valve, or tricuspid valve. Every single valve is different. It’s incredibly great. It’s very demanding. Most importantly, it makes such a profound difference to patients if you can repair it and repair it well rather than replacing it.
Can mitral regurgitation affect life expectancy?
Unfortunately, if a patient waits to get treatment for mitral regurgitation, that delay can negatively impact their life expectancy. Dr. Chikwe considers a sternotomy (an incision through the chest), which is a very effective approach during open-heart surgery, to be the “old gold standard” for mitral valve repair.
Can mitral regurgitation cause chest tightness?
Patients may have chest tightness. And, patients can be fatigued. Life expectancy is a big consideration for mitral regurgitation patients who need a mitral valve repair. According to Dr. Chikwe, if a patient receives a great mitral valve repair, there is a very good possibility they will have a normal life expectancy.
Is a valve replacement better than a valve repair?
If you end up with a valve replacement instead of a valve repair, that really starts to impact your life expectancy. A replacement is better than nothing, but a valve repair done surgically that last’s, well, that’s the best of all.
What kind of doctor treats mitral valve regurgitation?
A doctor trained in heart disease (cardiologist) will provide your care. If you have mitral valve regurgitation, consider being treated at a medical center with a multidisciplinary team of doctors and medical staff trained and experienced in evaluating and treating heart valve disease.
What is the sound of blood leaking backwards through the mitral valve?
Mitral valve regurgitation usually produces a sound of blood leaking backward through the mitral valve (heart murmur). Your doctor will then decide which tests are needed to make a diagnosis. For testing, you may be referred to a cardiologist.
How do surgeons repair valves?
Surgeons can repair the valve by reconnecting valve flaps (leaflets), replacing the cords that support the valve, or removing excess valve tissue so that the leaflets can close tightly. Surgeons may often tighten or reinforce the ring around a valve (annulus) by implanting an artificial ring (annuloplasty band).
Can a mitral valve be repaired?
Your mitral valve may need to be repaired or replaced. Doctors may suggest mitral valve repair or replacement even if you aren't experiencing symptoms, as this may prevent complications and improve outcomes. If you need surgery for another heart condition, your doctor may repair or replace the diseased mitral valve at the same time.
Where is the Mitraclip?
The MitraClip was patented by physicians at NYP/Columbia. A clip is mounted on the end of a catheter then threaded through a vein in the groin into the right atrium. The clip is opened (its ends parting like the two legs of a clothespin) as it passes through the mitral valve. When the heart contracts, the ends of the clip grab onto the flaps ...
What is MR in a heart?
When it is damaged or defective, blood flows back up into the upper chamber, producing Mitral Regurgitation (MR). Patients with MR often have a heart murmur (a turbulent or whooshing sound picked up by a stethoscope) and may suffer from heart palpitations, shortness of breath, fatigue after exertion, and swelling in the feet or ankles.

Why It's Done
- Surgery or another procedure to repair or replace a mitral valve may be done if you have mitral valve disease such as: 1. Mitral valve regurgitation.The flaps (leaflets) of the mitral valve don't close tightly, causing blood to leak backward. Mitral valve regurgitation is common in people wit…
Risks
- Possible risks of mitral valve repair and mitral valve replacement surgery include: 1. Bleeding 2. Blood clots 3. Malfunction of the replacement valve 4. Irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias) 5. Infection 6. Stroke 7. Death
How You Prepare
- Before mitral valve repair or replacement, an echocardiogram and other tests may be done to get more details about your heart condition. Your care providers will review what to expect during surgery and discuss any concerns you may have. As you prepare for mitral valve repair or replacement, it can be helpful to talk to your loved ones about your hospital stay and what help y…
What You Can Expect
- Surgery to repair or replace the mitral valve is done at a hospital by a heart (cardiac) surgeon. If you need heart surgery for another condition in addition to mitral valve disease, the surgeon may perform both surgeries at the same time.
Results
- Mitral valve repair and replacement surgery may help reduce symptoms and improve quality of life in people with mitral valve disease. If you had mitral valve replacement with a mechanical valve, you'll need blood thinners for life to prevent blood clots. Biological tissue valves break down (degenerate) over time and usually need to be replaced. Regular health checkups are needed to …
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Treatment
Health
- In 2015, patients traveled to Cleveland Clinic from all 50 states and 103 countries for their cardiovascular care.
Symptoms
- Many patients with mitral valve disease are asymptomatic (have no symptoms), even with a leak that is severe. When symptoms develop, they include shortness of breath, fatigue, loss of energy, swelling of the ankles and palpitations (extra or skipped heart beats).
Diagnosis
- The first step involves listening with a stethoscope. Using a stethoscope, the doctor hears a murmur, which represents turbulent blood flow across an abnormal valve. The diagnosis is confirmed by an echocardiogram. Ultrasound is used in an echocardiogram to allow the doctor to visualize the heart valves and determine the severity and cause of the leak. In most patients, a st…
Clinical significance
- Mitral valve prolapse is a common condition in which the mitral valve leaflets are floppy or loose. Mitral valve prolapse is diagnosed by echocardiography. Most patients with mitral valve prolapse do not have a leaky valve and do not require surgery. When a valve with prolapse has a severe leak, surgery should be considered.
Causes
- Nearly 100%. The most common cause of mitral regurgitation is a condition called degenerative mitral valve diseasethis is also called mitral valve prolapse, myxomatous mitral valve disease, and a floppy mitral valve. Such valves can be repaired (rather than replaced) in more than 95% of patients. Cleveland Clinic heart surgeons have the world's largest experience with mitral valve re…
Advantages
- Nearly 100%. When a patient requires isolated mitral valve surgery for a degenerative valve, at Cleveland Clinic we can perform the operation through a 2 to 4 inch skin incision in 95% of cases. We offer several different minimally invasive approaches, including a small incision on the right chest, a small incision in the mid-line, and robotically ...