Mitral Valve Treatment Options

Medical Management: Your doctor may prescribe medication to relieve your symptoms and decrease the risk of damage to your heart.

Valvuloplasty: For mitral stenosis, a balloon-tipped catheter is guided to the mitral valve. The balloon is then inflated to open the stenotic valve and allow blood to flow.

Surgical Treatment: Based on the severity of your condition, your doctor may recommend mitral valve surgery. Mitral valve surgery is highly effective for treating mitral valve disease. The Bon Secours Heart Valve Center offers the latest minimally invasive techniques, including Virginia’s only robotic-assist mitral valve repair center.

• Traditional or Open Heart Surgery requires an incision that is made through the breastbone to expose the heart. This approach gives the surgeon the greatest visibility; however, there is an increased risk for complications and an extended recovery period. Open heart patients are typically restricted from driving for one month and have limited physical activities for up to six months.
•  Minimally Invasive Surgery options for mitral valve treatment allow the surgeon to access the valve through a much smaller incision, without cutting the breastbone. Minimally invasive surgical patients can typically return to driving in one week and return to normal activities after one month. 
• Robotic Mitral Valve Surgery is the least invasive surgical treatment option.  During the procedure, endoscopic instruments are inserted through very small incisions to access the heart.  There are no activity restrictions after robotically-assisted surgery; therefore, patients can return to normal activities and driving as soon as they feel up to it.

MitraClip or Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair: is a non-surgical treatment option for high risk patients suffering from severe mitral valve regurgitation. The clip is inserted through a needle stick in the groin and advanced to the heart where it "clips" the mitral valve together decreasing regurgitation.