The mitral valve is the heart valve which is present on the left side of the heart separating and regulating the blood flow between the left atrium and ventricle. Blood which gets oxygenated in the lungs enters the left atrium and flows to the ventricle through the mitral valve. After this, the valve closes when the left ventricle contracts to prevent backflow into the atrium, allowing blood to enter the aorta (the large artery leaving the left ventricle) and supply the rest of the body.
Structural changes in the mitral valve can result in mitral stenosis or narrowing with inadequate blood flow across the valve, or to mitral regurgitation with loose valves that do not close properly, allowing backflow of blood from the ventricle to the atrium. Both conditions require correction depending on the severity of the problem.
Mitral valve repair is a surgical procedure done to correct the structural defect to restore normal blood flow in the heart. An alternate procedure, mitral valve replacement can also be performed where the entire valve is replaces with prosthetic material.
There are several types of procedures which can be performed:
The procedure can be done through multiple surgical approaches:
Robot assisted heart surgery is a novel type of surgery where the surgeon takes the help of robotic arms to carry out surgery. This improves precision. Robotic surgery is available in certain advanced centres.
The choice of surgical approach is made based on the type of procedure planned and the surgeon’s expertise with it. It is definitely better to undergo open heart surgery from an experienced surgeon than to demand minimally invasive surgery from someone inexperienced.
The prognosis depends on the initial condition and success of surgery. Following mitral valve repair, routine activities can be resumed in a graded fashion. Periodic follow up is required to monitor the condition of the heart and some medications may need to be continued. Healthy food, moderate exercise and smoking cessation are beneficial to promote heart health.
This post was last modified on July 14, 2023 7:54 am
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