Mitral Valve Repair

The mitral valve is an interior muscular structure in the heart. It helps regulate blood flow between the two chambers on the left side of the heart, the left atrium and the left ventricle. Failure of this valve can lead to symptoms of heart failure and death. When damage to the valve is severe, doctors must perform surgery to correct it. Repair or replacement is done from inside the heart itself. Surgeons will carefully repair the valve using state-of-the-art techniques and tools to alleviate the strain on the organ during open heart surgery. Traditionally, the incision to perform such surgery is 8-10 inches down the centre line of the patient’s chest - called the sternum. With major advances in medical research, some patients are candidates for “minimally invasive” procedures, making an incision that is only 3-4 inches on the chest wall.