Mitral Valve Disease and Surgery

Mitral valve disease is the most common heart valve abnormality and affects 5 to 10 percent of the population. Patients often have no symptoms of the disease, which can lead to heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms if left untreated. Sharp Memorial Hospital offers several minimally invasive surgical options to repair or replace mitral valves (also known as bicuspid valves) with a faster recovery and less pain than traditional open surgeries.

Mitral Valve Regurgitation
The most common defect with the mitral valve is when it does not close properly, allowing blood to leak backward into the lungs and cause shortness of breath. This condition is called mitral valve regurgitation. Over time, regurgitation will cause the heart muscle to grow weaker and can lead to congestive heart failure.

What Causes Mitral Valve Regurgitation?
Mitral valve regurgitation is often caused by degenerative mitral valve disease, also known as "floppy valve syndrome." Hallmarks of degenerative mitral valve disease include weakness and a thickening of the heart leaflets and their supporting structures. Other causes of a leaky valve include scarring from rheumatic heart disease, infection of the mitral valve, congenital abnormalities of the mitral valve and a weakened and dilated heart muscle (usually from previous heart attacks) that causes the two mitral leaflets to be pulled apart.

What Are the Symptoms?
Most people with mitral valve disease have no symptoms, but those who do complain of fatigue, palpitations, chest pain and anxiety.

Mitral Valve Surgery Options
Sharp HealthCare provides the following surgical options for mitral valve surgery:

• Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery
  Sharp's affiliated surgeons routinely perform minimally invasive mitral valve repair surgery. In minimally invasive valve surgery, the incision is much smaller — about 3 inches instead of the 6 to 8 inches required for traditional cardiac surgery. The surgery can be completed with small incisions through the lower breastbone. In addition to a smaller scar, patients typically experience a shorter hospital stay, faster recovery and less risk for infection. The benefit to patients is dramatic: shorter healing time and hospital stays, less scarring, reduced pain and a lower chance of infection. Sharp Memorial Hospital was first in San Diego to use da Vinci® advanced robotic-assisted heart valve surgery, which is one minimally invasive surgical option available to patients.
• MAZE Procedure and Mitral Valve Repair
  The MAZE procedure is often performed during mitral valve repair surgery. The procedure typically adds only about 20 to 30 minutes to the surgery and is effective in eliminating atrial fibrillation. Many patients who receive both a mitral valve repair and a MAZE procedure no longer need to take long-term blood-thinning medications.

Read a Patient Story
Dr. Brown lives an active lifestyle — spending lots of quality time outdoors with his young family. Slowing down wasn't an option for Dr. Brown, who needed mitral valve repair surgery to fix his heart. Learn how doctors at Sharp Memorial Hospital got Dr. Brown back on the campgrounds with minimal downtime. Read Dr. Brown's mitral valve repair story.

For More Information
To learn more about heart valve surgery at Sharp Memorial Hospital, send us an email and a cardiac specialist will contact you directly. To learn more about valvular disease, visit Heart Valve Diseases in Adult Health. To learn more about heart valve repair and replacement, read Frequently Asked Questions About Minimally Invasive Heart Valve Repair Surgery.

Find a Heart Valve Surgeon in San Diego
To find a Sharp-affiliated doctor, search for a San Diego heart valve surgeon or call 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277), Monday through Friday, 8 am to 6 pm.