Mitral valve lies between left atrium & left ventricle & its function is to open & close.

Oxygenated blood comes from lungs to left atrium, & then via two leaflets of mitral valve blood passes to left ventricle for distribution to body organs by contraction of left ventricle. When left ventricle contracts at that time Mitral valve closes & aortic valve opens to allow blood to go to body.

Normal mitral valve function is to regulate blood flow in right direction to body & not backwards to lungs. With each heart beat two leaflets of Mitral valve come together & close to prevent backward flow of blood. When heart relaxes leaflet of Mitral valve also relax & open the valve and blood comes to left ventricle. This cycle continues as normal heart function.

Mitral valve anatomy
The mitral valve regulates blood flow between the left atrium and left ventricle.

The disease

Mitral valve may get damaged by

  1. Congenital

    Congenital malformations / genetic disease.

  2. Infections

    Mostly rheumatic infection, bacterial endocarditis, fungal infections or others.

  3. Degenerative

    Degenerative valvular calcifications.

  4. Muscle damage

    Supporting muscle system damage following heart attacks.

  5. Other causes

    Tumors etc., IHSS / HOCM.

These diseases damage mitral valve & cause either narrowing (stenosis) or leakage (regurgitation).

Condition

Mitral stenosis

Mitral stenosis illustration
Mitral stenosis — narrowing of the mitral valve opening.

It is narrowing of mitral valve opening due to various causes which leads to accumulation of blood in left atrium & later on in lungs as back flow resulting in dilatation of left atrium then right ventricle which results into right sided heart failure.

Mitral incompetence / regurgitation

Mitral valve does not close adequately due to disease, blood regurgitates from left ventricle to left atrium every time when left ventricle contracts. This ultimately leads to heart failure.

Treatment options

Stage-wise treatment pathway

Mitral stenosis – early stages

Balloon dilatation or (BMV).

Later stage

When valve is still not significantly damaged then – CMV or open mitral valvotomy.

Last stage

1) Mitral valve repair
2) Mitral valve replacement

Mitral regurgitation
Mitral regurgitation — backward leakage of blood into the left atrium.

Mitral regurgitation

Non surgical: Mitra clip device.

Open heart surgery: 1) Mitral valve repair   2) Mitral valve replacement.

Mitral valve surgery

Choosing the right operation

Top cardiac surgeon performing mitral valve surgery
Minimally invasive, robot-assisted or full open-heart — chosen case by case.

Mitral valve surgery is usually considered with all investigations like Echo / cardiac MRI show the stages of mitral valve damage. Surgeon takes appropriate option of surgery depending on these findings. Mitral valve surgery may be performed as minimally invasive procedure / key hole, robot assisted surgery or full open heart surgery depending upon extent of disease, comorbidities, risk factors, feasibility & long term successful results.

  • 35Years in valve surgery
  • 2,000+MVR / repair surgeries
  • 99%+Success rate
  • LilavatiHospital, Mumbai

Dr. Pavan Kumar is senior heart surgeon specialist in mitral valve surgeries. He has experience of 35 years in this specialized heart surgery field & has performed over 2000 mitral valve replacement / repair heart surgeries. This is his specialist domain & his given success rate of above 99% in all sets of Mitral valve surgeries.

To contact a Mitral valve replacement specialist write to info@drpavankumar.in or call 9820160600.

Successfully treated

Happy patients

A few of the many patients who returned home to a normal life after bypass surgery with Dr. Pavan Kumar. Use the arrows, dots or arrow keys to browse.