Mitral Valve Replacement Surgery

Mitral valve replacement surgery may be needed for Reference mitral valve regurgitation Opens New Window or Reference mitral valve stenosis Opens New Window.

Valve replacement is typically done as an open-heart surgery. Minimally invasive types of surgery may be another option. This document describes open-heart surgery. For information about minimally invasive surgery, see Reference Heart Valve Replacement Surgery: Minimally Invasive Methods.

During valve surgery, you are given Reference general anesthesia Opens New Window. Your doctor makes a large incision in your chest. You are placed on a heart-lung machine during the surgery. Blood is circulated outside of the body and oxygen is added to it using a heart-lung (cardiopulmonary bypass) machine. To protect the heart muscle from damage during surgery to replace the heart valve, the heart may be cooled to slow or stop the heartbeat. The damaged mitral valve is removed and replaced with an Reference artificial Opens New Window heart valve. The damaged valve is cut out, and the new valve is sewn into place.

See a picture of an Reference artificial mitral valve Opens New Window Reference Opens New Window after replacement surgery.

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