Mitral valve disease treatment at The Christ Hospital Health Network

At The Christ Hospital Health Network, our mitral valve disease experts offer the newest, most advanced treatments not available at most other hospitals in the region, such as a new surgical loop technique and mitra clip for mitral valve repair. 

Watch to learn more about MitraClip treatment

Mitral valve disease diagnosis 

Our heart valve disease experts use the most advanced diagnostic practices to detect mitral valve disease. Your physician will perform a physical exam and, if he or she suspects heart valve disease, can diagnose the condition using one or more of the following methods:

 

  • Cardiac catheterization

  • Chest X-ray

  • Computerized tomography (CT) scan

  • Echocardiogram

  • Electrocardiogram

  • Exercise test

  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 

 

Advanced mitral valve disease treatment options

At The Christ Hospital, we offer leading edge surgical and minimally invasive mitral valve disease treatments, including a surgical procedure not offered at nearby facilities and minimally invasive procedures that improve recovery time. 

Surgical treatment for mitral valve disease

For symptomatic patients diagnosed with moderate-severe or severe mitral regurgitation, surgery is generally recommended to repair or replace the mitral valve. This typically involves open-heart surgery with the patient on cardiopulmonary bypass.  

The Christ Hospital is the only hospital in the region to offer a new surgical loop technique for mitral valve repair, shown to reduce the risk of future heart valve complications.

Minimally invasive treatment for mitral valve disease

Our heart surgeons have expertise in the full range of minimally invasive approaches for mitral valve repair, enabling us to offer individualized treatment for each patient. Procedures include:

 

  • Right mini-thoracotomy – A 3-inch incision is made on the right side of the chest and a surgeon uses small instruments to repair the mitral valve.

  • Partial upper sternotomy – A small incision is made on the chest wall to allow the surgeon to repair the mitral valve.

  • Transcatheter mitral valve repair – The MitraClip procedure (see video above) is a minimally invasive catheter-based therapy. It's performed using venous access and real-time imaging, thereby avoiding cardiopulmonary bypass. This treatment increases the options for patients with significant, symptomatic, degenerative MR who are not candidates for surgery.

  • LVAD – Patients suffering from severe valve disease and heart failure may benefit from a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implanted to help a failing heart pump more effectively.

 

Benefits of minimally invasive mitral valve disease treatment typically include:

  • A shorter recovery with fewer complications

  • A lifesaving option for patients who cannot undergo open-heart surgery

  • A renewed energy and improved quality of life for most patients

To learn more about mitral valve disease treatment at The Christ Hospital, please call 513-206-1234.