The mitral valve is one out of the four valves in the human heart, responsible for controlling and ensuring blood flow through the rest of the body. When there is any malfunctioning associated with the heart valve, it requires a surgical approach to fix it. In this blog, we will discuss different surgical approaches for mitral valve repair and insights from the best heart doctor in Delhi. Let’s delve further. 

1. Traditional Open-Heart Surgery

One of the most common and traditional surgical approaches to mitral valve repair is open heart surgery. As the name suggests, an incision is made down the middle of the chest to have complete excess and expose the complete heart. During the surgery, the patient is placed under general anesthesia while connected to a heart-lung machine, also known as cardiopulmonary bypass. 

Techniques Involved:

• Annuloplasty

• Chordal Repair or Replacement

• Leaflet Resection

2. Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS)

Minimally invasive surgery for mitral valve repair has been gaining immense popularity over the past few years. During this surgery, a small incision is made at the right side of the chest or under the ribs. Once the surgery is made, a specialised instrument called a thoracoscope is guided through the incision, followed by valve repair. 

Techniques Involved:

• Endoscopic Mitral Valve Repair

• Robotic-Assisted Mitral Valve Repair

3. Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair (TMVR)

Some patients are not ideal for traditional surgery due to many factors such as age, underlying medical condition, and comorbidities. For such patients, transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) is an excellent alternative. It is an invasive procedure that involves inserting catheter through a vein in the groin or neck. This further threads up to the heart, followed by using a device to repair the valve. 

Techniques Involved:

• MitraClip

4. Off-Pump Mitral Valve Repair

Off-pump surgery is also commonly known as beating heart surgery. It is another innovative approach for performing mitral valve repair. During the surgery, the heart is not stopped and a heart-lung machine is not used. Thus, the surgeon makes the repair while the heart is still beating. However, a stabiliser is used to hold the heart in place. 

Get expert advice for Mitral Valve Repair in India from India’s leading Cardiac Surgeon, Dr. Sujay Shad!

Mitral valve repair is a critical surgical procedure performed to fix impaired blood flow and ensure proper circulation throughout the body. The surgery can be performed with various approaches, namely, open-heart surgery, MIS, TMVR, and off-pump MV repair. Dr. Sujay Shad is the leading cardiac surgeon, currently practicing at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi. The surgeon holds more than 3 decades of extensive and vast experience. He is currently practicing at India’s most reputed hospital, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. If you are seeking any expert advice regarding mitral valve repair in India, you can consult with Dr. Sujay Shad. For more information, request an appointment today!