Mitral Valve Repair & Replacement
The mitral valve regulates blood flow in the left side of the heart. When the flaps of this valve don’t seal tightly due to a congenital condition, previous illness or wear and tear, it can impair blood flow, causing a leak into the lower-left heart chamber or creating a backflow of blood called regurgitation. This is called mitral valve disease and can lead to congestive heart failure and other issues.
Symptoms of mitral valve disease may include:
- Palpitations (feelings that your heart is skipping a beat, fluttering, or beating too hard or too fast)
- Shortness of breath
- Cough
- Fatigue, dizziness or anxiety
- Migraine headaches
- Chest discomfort
Types of Valve Surgery
Many people with mitral valve prolapse have no symptoms or can be treated with medication such as blood thinners or beta blockers. But if you require surgery, Cape Cod Healthcare’s Heart & Vascular Institute offers two approaches for patients who qualify: Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Repair and Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Replacement Surgery.
Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Repair
Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Repair is a surgical procedure which restores valve function through surgery that requires only a two- to three-inch incision on the right side. This less-invasive approach allows for a shorter hospital stay and recovery time for those patients whose conditions allow for this surgical intervention.
Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Replacement Surgery
Mitral Valve Replacement surgery requires a larger mid-chest incision and full replacement of the valve. Valve replacement surgery requires a more lengthy recovery time before normal physical activity can resume.
Our surgical team of physicians, nurses, technologists and other clinicians is specially trained in these procedures in order to restore patients’ health quickly and with minimal intervention.
Mitral Valve Regurgitation
Mitral valve regurgitation is the most common heart-valve problem in the United States, according to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare. It occurs when your mitral valve’s two leaflets, or flaps, do not close properly. This allows some of the blood in the heart’s lower chamber (the ventricle) to flow back into the upper chamber (the atria). That’s called regurgitation.
If you suffer from mitral valve insufficiency, shortness of breath, cough, fatigue, dizziness, migraines or chest discomfort can affect your ability to live a normal lifestyle.
