Mitral Valve Repair and Replacement
525 East 68th Street, M-404
New York, NY 10065
56-45 Main Street, 3S – Room 387
Flushing, NY 11355
263 7th Avenue, Suite 4H
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Mitral valve disorders
Heart valves are flaps of tissue that ensure that blood entering or leaving the heart moves in the right direction, with no backflow. A heart valve can become dysfunctional in two ways: stenosis or insufficiency.
The mitral valve controls blood flow between the heart and the lungs. If the mitral valve dysfunctions, the lungs can become congested with blood. Excess fluid in and around the lungs causes shortness of breath, and backed up fluid causes swelling throughout the body.
● Mitral valve stenosis occurs when the mitral valve does not open properly. Over time, the mitral valve and supporting structures become stiffer, shorter, and tighter. This makes it harder for the valve to open and the heart to pump blood throughout the body. This disorder is most often caused by rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease.
● Mitral valve insufficiency, or regurgitation, occurs when the valve does not close effectively. This can cause blood to be pumped backwards instead of forward, leaking blood into the lungs. This leads to increased fluid in the lungs and can cause high pressures in the arteries of the lungs (pulmonary arteries). If mitral regurgitation is left untreated, the heart becomes weakened, which may lead to heart failure.
Surgical options at Weill Cornell Medicine
Mitral valves can be repaired with surgery. At Weill Cornell Medicine’s Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, our surgeons are experienced in using a variety of techniques to repair and replace all heart valves, including the mitral valve.
Mitral valve repair: Our surgeons have extensive training and experience, which enables them to repair a large percentage of mitral valves, instead of replacing them with prosthetic valves. We specialize in:
● Repairing the mitral valve using an annuloplasty ring, which shrinks the valve to the normal size and shape. This technique reverses the stretching caused by mitral regurgitation.
● Removing excess tissue in the mitral valve caused by mitral regurgitation and repairing the normal tissue using small sutures (stitches).
● Repairing the mitral valve using a neochordae, a set of synthetic threads connecting the mitral valve to the surrounding structures.
Mitral valve replacement: In some cases, the mitral valve is too damaged to repair. Our surgeons offer state-of-the-art replacement options. We specialize in:
● Chordal-sparing technique to preserve as much of the supporting structures as possible when replacing the valve
● Minimally invasive transcatheter (TMVR) and robotic surgical techniques, which enable us to replace the mitral valve using only small incisions
Why choose Weill Cornell Medicine for mitral valve surgery?
● Access to state-of-the-art imaging technology that allows our surgeons to obtain three-dimensional images of the patient’s heart, which is used to determine the best surgical technique and guides the surgery
● Our record of excellent outcomes
● Our surgical team works with each patient to develop an individualized, comprehensive treatment plan
● Collaboration among a wide range of specialists, which ensures the best possible recovery
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