A Complete Guide to Mitral Valve Repair Surgery

The heart's valves are vital components that perform a crucial role in ensuring that blood flow is effective and that the heart's pumping action does not cause backflow. Heart valve problems can seriously impair the heart's ability to pump blood and even cause harm to other cardiac organs. Patients with mitral valve disease can live longer, healthier lives with the help of a surgical procedure called mitral valve repair.

In  this guide, we will understand mitral valve disease, conditions treated by the repair surgery, ways in which the surgery can be done, the procedure, and life after the surgery. To make this post enlightening, the information used to draft this article has been gathered from the insights shared by the expert heart surgeon, Dr. Sujay Shad, renowned for offering highly successful surgery for mitral valve repair in India. Read the full article to learn more.

The mitral valve, one of the heart's four valves, is primarily responsible for ensuring that blood flows in the right direction. The body receives less blood from the heart when these valves do not open or close correctly. When there is mitral valve stenosis, the heart has to work harder to force blood through the smaller valve opening, whereas in mitral valve regurgitation, blood flows backwards. 

Numerous factors can lead to mitral valve disease, such as congenital defects, severe infections, other cardiac conditions, and autoimmune diseases like lupus. Mitral valve disease is more common in older adults with a history of heart problems, congenital heart defects, and patients who have had prior chest radiation therapy. Mitral valve disease can result in congestive heart failure and stroke if it is not promptly repaired or replaced.

This is frequently referred to as a "leaky valve." When the valve flaps do not close completely, a small amount of blood can flow in the wrong direction. Mitral valve prolapse is the most common cause of this.

This is an obstruction of sufficient blood flow caused by narrowing the valve opening.

This disease is characterized by excessively floppy or stretchy mitral valve flaps. 

In cases where mitral valve disease is not severe, the doctor might first advise routine cardiac exams to monitor one’s heart health. To control the symptoms, one might be given medication prescriptions. 

There are two ways to repair the mitral valve: open heart surgery and minimally invasive heart surgery. Depending on how serious one’s condition is, the doctor will advise them on the best course of action. On the other hand, patients benefit greatly from minimally invasive mitral valve repair because it guarantees fewer scars, shorter hospital stays, and a quicker recovery than open heart surgery. 

In order to make the valve flaps close tightly, the surgeon may close the holes in the heart valve, reconnect the valve flaps, remove extra tissue, separate the fused flaps, or repair the structure by replacing the support cords. Mitral valve repair involves the use of surgical techniques such as annuloplasty, valvuloplasty, and mitral valve clipping.

Open mitral valve repair is done under general anaesthesia. During the procedure, the patient's heart is connected to a cardiopulmonary bypass machine, which assumes control of the heart and lungs. The technique used—full or partial sternotomy—determines the length of the incision made in the chest. To fix the valve, the surgeon uses surgical methods like annuloplasty, chordal repair, or triangular or quadrangular resection. After ensuring that the flaps were functioning properly, the patient would be weaned off the bypass machine, enabling normal heart and lung function. After that, the patient might need to spend two to three days in the intensive care unit and might need to stay in the hospital for up to ten days in order to recover fully. It can take four to eight weeks to return to regular duties.

Minimally invasive mitral valve repair is performed under general anaesthesia. During the procedure, the patient's heart is connected to a cardiopulmonary bypass machine, which assumes control of the patient's heart and lungs. The surgeon makes two to three incisions along the side of the ribs, each measuring up to four or six centimeters. A thin catheter equipped with a camera is inserted through the incision to view and access the mitral valve. The incision is sutured shut after the mitral valves are repaired using tiny, sophisticated surgical instruments. Depending on the severity of the mitral valve disease, surgery can take up to four hours.

A successful mitral valve repair restores quality of life. The patient might need to take blood thinners to prevent blood clotting for the remainder of their lives. Attend all doctor appointments to ensure the newly repaired valve operates as intended. Adopt a healthy lifestyle, consume wholesome meals, and give up smoking.

Mitral valve repair is one long-term treatment option for mitral valve disease. 95% of people can go at least ten years without additional surgery. 90% of them can live for 20 years or longer. Once a repair is successful, most patients do not require additional mitral valve surgery. One will need an echocardiogram each year so the doctor can check the condition of their valves. To avoid endocarditis, a valve infection, one might also require antibiotics before specific procedures. Discuss all the precautions one needs to take in the years after their surgery with the doctor.

One’s life can be prolonged and improved with mitral valve repair. It has risks, just like any other heart surgery. The majority of patients make it through the procedure. The percentage of patients who do not survive a procedure for mitral valve repair is less than one in 1,000.

Mitral valve disease is a disorder that can cause a number of problems when the valve in the left heart chamber becomes leaky or narrow. Mitral valve repair is one long-term treatment option for mitral valve disease. 

If one is looking for the best heart surgery doctor in Delhi, one may consult with Dr. Sujay Shad at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. The expert heart surgeon and his team of cardiac physicians perform a wide range of heart procedures, such as aortic surgery, HOCM, heart transplants, and many more. To learn more, consult the surgeon now!

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