What is Mitral Disease?

What is Mitral Disease

What is Mitral Disease?

The mitral valve is one of the four valves in the heart and functions as a one-way valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. Mitral valve disease most commonly manifests itself as mitral regurgitation, or "leaky valve" where significant portion of the blood goes in the wrong direction with every heartbeat. This can occur either due to inherent problems with the valve leaflets or the surrounding structure such as the mitral annulus or the ventricle itself. Less commonly the valve can become stenotic or tight where blood flow is restricted through the valve. This generally occurs following rheumatic fever or if the valve leaflet become calcified and stiff.

What is Mitral Disease

What is Mitral Disease?

The mitral valve is one of the four valves in the heart and functions as a one-way valve between the left atrium and left ventricle. Mitral valve disease most commonly manifests itself as mitral regurgitation, or "leaky valve" where significant portion of the blood goes in the wrong direction with every heartbeat. This can occur either due to inherent problems with the valve leaflets or the surrounding structure such as the mitral annulus or the ventricle itself. Less commonly the valve can become stenotic or tight where blood flow is restricted through the valve. This generally occurs following rheumatic fever or if the valve leaflet become calcified and stiff.

Mitral Valve Prolapse

Mitral valve prolapse or floppy mitral valve is the most common disease of the mitral valve affecting 1-2% of the population and is sometimes inherited. The leaflets become floppy and eventually this results in leaky mitral valve causing symptoms of heart failure such as fatigue, shortness of breath as well as arrhythmias (atrial fibrillation).

Mitral Valve Prolapse
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Mitral Valve Repair

Most commonly the mitral valve is repaired in patients with mitral valve prolapse. In the hands of experienced high volume (more than 25 operations per year) mitral valve surgeons mitral valve prolapse can be repaired in 99% of patients. Successful repair is associated with normalization of patient lifespan and excellent durability.

Mitral Valve Repair

Most commonly the mitral valve is repaired in patients with mitral valve prolapse. In the hands of experienced high volume (more than 25 operations per year) mitral valve surgeons mitral valve prolapse can be repaired in 99% of patients. Successful repair is associated with normalization of patient lifespan and excellent durability

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