Mitral Valve Repair Surgery

: Admin : 2021-10-18

A healthy heart pumps oxygenated blood, hormones and essential nutrients to different parts of the body. The heart has four valves within its chambers. When these valves become dysfunctional due to any disease, it disturbs the normal rhythm of blood transport function from delivering deoxygenated blood to lungs for purification to circulating oxygen-rich blood and nutrition to different parts of the body.

The Mitral valve also called the bicuspid valve, located between the upper left chamber and lower left chamber of the heart, regulates the flow of blood. It prevents the backflow of blood. It is composed of two flaps that open and close during every heartbeat. In mitral valve disease caused by certain infections of heart, diseases of heart, use of drugs, radiation to the chest and in congenital heart disease, the normal function of open and closure during each heartbeat is interrupted causing a leak and backflow of blood flow.

Mitral regurgitation is one type of disease of the mitral valve where both flaps do not close, so blood leaks backwards in the left upper chamber--atrium of the heart. In mitral valve stenosis, the valve becomes stiff, narrow and thickened resulting in a decrease in blood flow from the left upper chamber—atrium to the left lower chamber – ventricle of the heart. The treatment in the form of repair of the valve is a medical emergency as it may damage the muscles of the heart.

A cardiac surgeon investigates the heart condition of the patient through several tests and echocardiograms. General anaesthesia is given to patients prior to mitral valve repair surgery. Mitral valve repair, medically termed as annuloplasty is done as an open heart surgery procedure or as minimally invasive surgery. Robotic-assisted heart surgery uses advanced scientific technology for the repair of mitral valves.

During mitral valve repair, cardiac surgeons patch holes in heart valves reconnect and separates fused valve leaflets, apart from removing the excess tissue from the valve so flaps close tightly. The ring or annulus around the valve is tightened to strengthen the normal function of the mitral valve.

A catheter with a balloon on the tip is inserted through the artery in the arm during valvuloplasty. When the balloon is inflated the opening of the mitral valve widens. Later, the balloon is deflated and the catheter with the balloon is removed.

 A mitral valve clip is often used to repair a torn flap with the aid of a catheter inserted through the artery in the groin. These are the most common surgical procedures done to repair a mitral valve.