Mitral Valve Replacement Surgery

Mitral valve replacement is performed in cases where the heart valve cannot function due to insufficiency or stenosis problems and repair of the valve is not possible. In cases of advanced calcification or insufficiency in the mitral valve, heart valve replacement can be performed, while heart valve repair can be performed in cases of early diagnosed diseases.

Mitral valve diseases may occur due to reasons such as inflammatory diseases in childhood causing heart problems in later ages or calcification of the heart valves as a result of a heart attack. Early diagnosis of mitral valve diseases is very important for effective and successful treatment. However, early diagnosis also allows repair (reconstruction) surgery to be performed on the mitral valve without the need for replacement surgery.

How is Mitral Valve Replacement Surgery Performed?

Mitral valve replacement is decided after examinations performed by a cardiovascular surgeon. Depending on the condition of the heart valve, heart valve repair may also be performed in some cases. In cases where the damage to the valve can be repaired, the patient is not fitted with a new valve and the problem in his own valve is corrected. In cases where the problem in the mitral valve progresses and repair is not possible, heart valve replacement is required. Heart valve replacement is decided by the cardiovascular surgeon, depending on the patient's age, general health condition and other diseases.

Natural valves or artificial valves can be used in heart valve replacement operations.

Artificial (Mechanical) Heart Valve

Artificial heart valves are structures that are more commonly used in mitral heart surgeries and are long-lasting. Patients who undergo surgery with an artificial valve are required to use blood thinners for life.

Biological Heart Valve

Biological heart valves are taken from animals such as pigs, cattle or horses. Biological valves are short-lived compared to metal valves. However, after surgery, the patient may need to stay in the hospital for a long time for the valve to be accepted by the body.

For patients who do not have conditions such as pregnancy, surgery is more commonly performed with metal heart valves, which are longer lasting and do not need to be renewed with constant surgery.

Nowadays, it is performed with minimally invasive surgery. mitral valve surgery It is completed in an average of 2-3 hours. With its minimally invasive method, also known as closed surgery, very high success rates are achieved in cases where mitral valve stenosis, insufficiency or both problems are observed.