What is mitral valve repair?
Mitral valve repair is a surgical procedure that fixes the mitral valve rather than replacing it. Techniques include resecting or folding excess tissue, implanting an annuloplasty ring to restore normal valve shape, reconnecting torn chordae tendineae, or using artificial chords (neochordae). Repair is strongly preferred over replacement when feasible, as it preserves the native valve, avoids anticoagulation, and has better long-term survival.
The complete answer.
The success of mitral valve repair depends heavily on surgeon expertise. Repair rates at referral centers exceed 95% for degenerative mitral regurgitation, while community hospital rates may be below 50%. The ACC/AHA guidelines give a Class I recommendation that mitral valve surgery should be performed at centers with demonstrated expertise in repair (repair rate >95% for degenerative MR). Surgeon-specific repair rates are the single most important variable in mitral valve surgery outcomes, yet most patients are never told their surgeon's personal repair rate.
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