Mitral valve prolapse is a common heart valve problem in which the leaflets of the valve become floppy and don\u2019t close properly. This causes blood to leak backward inside the heart, also known as mitral regurgitation. Although the condition affects millions of people around the world, mitral regurgitation is often so minor that the condition goes completely unnoticed, sometimes for an entire lifetime.<\/p>\n
However, if the prolapse becomes more pronounced, it can cause increased leakage which may cause patient symptoms like shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain and pre-mature death. A mitral valve repair surgery may be required to address these symptoms and risks. There are several methods for repairing the mitral valve, depending on the extent of prolapse or the location of the structural problem. A mitral valve resection, accompanied by annuloplasty, is often the best option for repair.<\/p>\n
We recently received a question about a mitral valve resection from a patient in our community who asked, \u201cWhat is the mitral valve resection technique and which patients is the procedure best for?\u201d We were thrilled to get the answer from Dr. Marc Gillinov,<\/a> Chairman of Cardiac Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, and an expert on the most effective methods of mitral valve repair.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n