Mitral Valve Repair

About Mitral Valve Repair

Mitral valve repair restores the function of the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle while preserving the native valve tissue. It is most often performed for mitral regurgitation, a leak caused by degenerative disease such as prolapse of the valve leaflets, a flail leaflet from ruptured chords, or enlargement of the valve ring. Surgeons reshape the valve using techniques such as resecting part of a leaflet, implanting artificial chords made of suture material, and sewing in an annuloplasty ring to support and reduce the size of the valve opening. The operation uses cardiopulmonary bypass and can be done through a sternotomy or through minimally invasive and robotic approaches via the right side of the chest. When repair is feasible it is generally preferred over replacement for degenerative disease because it preserves the native structures and avoids some of the drawbacks of prosthetic valves. The French surgeon Alain Carpentier was highly influential in developing systematic repair techniques. Catheter based edge to edge repair offers a less invasive option for selected patients who are not good surgical candidates.