Mitral Valve Surgery

The mitral valve separates the left atria from the powerful left ventricle. The flow of blood through the heart may be disrupted if the mitral valve becomes diseased. The two most common problems are mitral valve stenosis, where the valve opening becomes smaller, and mitral valve regurgitation. In mitral valve regurgitation, blood flows backwards across the mitral valve when the heart contracts. Both of these problems may cause the heart to enlarge as it is forced to work harder.

The mitral valve can be repaired or replaced depending on the problem with the valve. The surgeons at Raney Zusman Medical Group are on the cutting edge of mitral valve repair, and attempt to repair over 90% of mitral valves with "degenerative" valve disease. Mitral valve repair is recommended over replacement in the majority of cases, yet the national average remains around 50%.

Please visit our section on mitral valve repair for more information.