Valve Repair

Ocala Heart Institute specializes in cardiovascular surgery in Florida, including aneurysm repairs and bypass grafting, and is often done in conjunction with maze procedure.

Valves help to regulate the flow of blood as it moves through the heart, entering through the mitral valve, moving on through other valves (aortic, tricuspid, and pulmonary) as it flows between the different chambers (ventricles) of the heart, including the valve that sends the blood back through the body.

Unfortunately, valves sometimes malfunction. Regurgitation, when the valve does not close all the way, allows blood to leak backwards. Stenosis, a valve that does not fully open, restricts blood flow. When heart valves become diseased or otherwise damaged, repair or replacement can greatly improve your enjoyment of life.

Valve Repair by Florida Heart Surgeons

You and your doctor will decide on whether you need valve repair or replacement and which type is right for you when aortic valve replacement surgery (open heart surgery) is deemed necessary, taking patient health, condition of the damaged valve, and expected benefits of surgery into consideration. Minimally invasive surgery may also be an option, depending on the circumstances of your medical needs.

Minimally damaged “leaflets,” mitral valve flaps, and chordae tendineae, the strong fibers that control their movement, can be repaired. The procedure can include reshaping the valve, increasing support by adding tissue or a collar-shaped structure around the base of the valve, or attaching the valve to nearby cordlike heart tissues (chordal transposition).

For Floridians with extensive damage to the valve and surrounding tissue or those who develop an annulus (a hard, calcified mitral valve ring), replacement is necessary. Extensive ballooning (more than one flap inflates) of the mitral valve, prolapse (bulging) of the valve and infection (endocarditis) are also strong indicators for replacement rather than repair. Replacement mechanical valves are made of cloth, plastic, metal, or bioprosthetic (usually made from pig tissue).

Consult with Florida Cardiologists at Ocala Heart Institute

Contact us today for an appointment at one of our Florida locations to discuss your options.