Heart Valve Repair at Mayo Clinic

Specialized heart valve repair at Mayo Clinic for selected patients with damaged or abnormal heart valves, with the goal of restoring proper valve function while preserving the patient's own heart valve whenever medically appropriate.

 Price

Price on Request

Why Price on Request?

The cost of heart valve repair varies according to the type and severity of valve disease, valve involved, diagnostic testing, surgical technique, hospital care, specialist services and the patient's overall medical condition. A personalized cost estimate is therefore required.

Complete Description

Heart Valve Repair at Mayo Clinic

Heart Valve Repair at Mayo Clinic – Rochester is a specialized cardiovascular procedure for selected patients whose heart valves are damaged, narrowed or unable to close properly.

Heart valves control the direction of blood flow through the heart. When a valve becomes diseased, blood may not flow efficiently, or it may leak backward through the valve.

In appropriate patients, valve repair can restore valve function while preserving the patient's own valve tissue. Whether repair is possible depends on the valve involved, the underlying condition, valve anatomy and severity of the disease.

Mayo Clinic's cardiovascular specialists use detailed cardiac evaluation and imaging to determine the most appropriate treatment strategy for each patient.

What Is Heart Valve Repair?

Heart valve repair is a procedure used to correct structural or functional problems affecting a heart valve without completely replacing the valve.

Depending on the specific problem, repair may involve:

• Reshaping valve tissue

• Repairing damaged valve structures

• Supporting weakened valve tissue

• Correcting abnormal valve movement

• Improving valve closure

• Reducing abnormal blood leakage

• Restoring more effective blood flow

The exact repair technique depends on the affected valve and the patient's individual anatomy.

Heart Valves That May Be Repaired

Heart valve repair can be used for selected conditions involving:

• Mitral valve

• Aortic valve

• Tricuspid valve

• Pulmonary valve

Mitral valve repair is particularly important in patients with certain forms of mitral valve disease where preserving the patient's own valve is technically appropriate.

Conditions That May Require Heart Valve Repair

Valve repair may be considered for patients with:

• Mitral valve regurgitation

• Mitral valve prolapse

• Mitral valve stenosis in selected cases

• Aortic valve regurgitation

• Certain aortic valve abnormalities

• Tricuspid valve regurgitation

• Tricuspid valve structural abnormalities

• Congenital heart valve abnormalities

• Degenerative valve disease

• Certain valve problems caused by infection

Not every patient with valve disease is a candidate for repair.

Mitral Valve Repair

The mitral valve is located between the left atrium and left ventricle.

When the mitral valve does not close properly, blood can flow backward, a condition known as mitral regurgitation.

Depending on the underlying problem, mitral valve repair may involve techniques designed to:

• Correct abnormal valve movement

• Repair damaged valve leaflets

• Reshape or support valve structures

• Improve valve closure

• Reduce backward blood flow

For suitable patients, preserving the patient's own mitral valve may be preferable to replacement.

Aortic Valve Repair

Aortic valve repair may be considered in selected patients with certain forms of aortic valve disease.

It may be used for some patients with:

• Aortic valve regurgitation

• Abnormal aortic valve structure

• Certain congenital valve abnormalities

• Other selected structural aortic valve conditions

The possibility of repair depends heavily on the valve's anatomy and the underlying cause of disease.

Tricuspid Valve Repair

Tricuspid valve repair may be considered for patients with significant tricuspid valve dysfunction.

Treatment may involve correcting structural abnormalities or improving the valve's ability to close properly.

Tricuspid valve repair may also sometimes be performed during another cardiac surgical procedure when clinically appropriate.

Diagnostic Evaluation Before Valve Repair

A detailed cardiovascular evaluation is essential before deciding whether valve repair is appropriate.

Testing may include:

• Transthoracic echocardiogram

• Transesophageal echocardiogram

• Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG)

• Chest imaging

• Cardiac CT

• Cardiac MRI

• Cardiac catheterization

• Coronary angiography

• Blood tests

• Assessment of heart function

Echocardiography is particularly important because it can provide detailed information about valve structure, movement, blood flow and the severity of valve dysfunction.

Not every patient requires every test.

Importance of Echocardiography

Echocardiography can help the cardiovascular team assess:

• Valve structure

• Valve leaflet movement

• Valve narrowing

• Valve leakage

• Blood-flow patterns

• Heart chamber size

• Heart pumping function

• Pressure within the heart

In some cases, a transesophageal echocardiogram may provide more detailed images of the heart valves.

Surgical Heart Valve Repair

Traditional surgical valve repair may involve accessing the heart through an appropriate surgical approach and correcting the damaged valve structures.

Depending on the patient's condition, repair may involve:

• Valve leaflet repair

• Removal or correction of abnormal tissue

• Valve reshaping

• Supporting valve structures

• Repair of surrounding cardiac structures

• Other specialized surgical techniques

The specific procedure is determined by the surgeon based on the patient's anatomy.

Minimally Invasive Heart Valve Repair

Selected patients may be candidates for minimally invasive valve repair.

These procedures use smaller surgical access points than traditional open-heart surgery when appropriate.

Potential advantages may include:

• Smaller incisions

• Reduced tissue disruption

• Potentially shorter recovery

• Reduced postoperative discomfort in selected patients

However, minimally invasive surgery is not appropriate for every patient. The recommended approach depends on anatomy, valve disease, previous procedures and overall medical condition.

Catheter-Based Valve Repair

Certain patients with specific valve conditions may be considered for catheter-based repair procedures.

These techniques can allow treatment through a blood vessel rather than conventional open-heart surgery in carefully selected cases.

The suitability of a catheter-based procedure depends on:

• Type of valve disease

• Valve anatomy

• Severity of disease

• Symptoms

• Overall health

• Previous cardiac procedures

• Surgical risk

A multidisciplinary cardiovascular evaluation is often important when considering these treatment options.

Who May Benefit From Heart Valve Repair?

Patients may be evaluated for valve repair when they have:

• Significant valve leakage

• Valve narrowing

• Progressive valve disease

• Symptoms caused by valve dysfunction

• Reduced heart function

• Structural valve abnormalities

• Certain congenital valve conditions

• Degenerative valve disease

• Selected valve conditions requiring surgical correction

The decision to repair a valve is based on a complete medical and cardiovascular assessment.

Symptoms of Heart Valve Disease

Patients with significant valve dysfunction may experience:

• Shortness of breath

• Fatigue

• Chest discomfort

• Dizziness

• Fainting

• Swelling of the legs or ankles

• Reduced exercise tolerance

• Rapid or irregular heartbeat

Some patients may have significant valve disease without obvious symptoms, which is why appropriate cardiovascular evaluation is important.

Benefits of Heart Valve Repair

When medically appropriate, valve repair may offer several potential advantages:

• Preserves the patient's own valve

• Restores more effective valve function

• Improves blood flow

• Reduces abnormal valve leakage

• May improve symptoms

• May improve heart function

• Can avoid replacement of the native valve in suitable cases

The expected outcome depends on the type of valve disease, severity, repair technique and the patient's overall health.

Valve Repair vs. Valve Replacement

Valve repair and valve replacement are different treatment approaches.

Valve repair aims to correct the patient's existing valve while preserving native valve tissue.

Valve replacement removes the diseased valve and replaces it with a prosthetic valve.

When a durable repair is technically possible, preserving the patient's own valve may be considered. However, some valves cannot be repaired effectively, and replacement may then be the more appropriate treatment.

The final decision is made by the cardiovascular team after evaluating the patient's specific valve condition.

Preparation Before Heart Valve Repair

Patients may undergo several assessments before the procedure, including:

• Medical history review

• Physical examination

• Echocardiography

• ECG/EKG

• Blood tests

• Cardiac imaging

• Medication review

• Assessment of other medical conditions

• Anesthesia evaluation

Patients should provide their medical team with complete information about current medications, allergies and previous procedures.

Recovery After Heart Valve Repair

Recovery depends on the type of repair and surgical approach.

Post-treatment care may include:

• Hospital monitoring

• Medication management

• Wound care

• Activity restrictions

• Follow-up appointments

• Repeat echocardiography

• Cardiac rehabilitation

• Long-term cardiovascular monitoring

Recovery times vary between patients and depend on the procedure performed and overall health.

Long-Term Follow-Up

After valve repair, ongoing monitoring may be recommended to assess valve function and overall heart health.

Follow-up may include:

• Echocardiograms

• Cardiovascular examinations

• Medication review

• Assessment of symptoms

• Heart function monitoring

• Management of cardiovascular risk factors

The frequency of follow-up depends on the patient's individual condition and treatment history.

International Patients

International patients seeking heart valve repair may need to provide previous medical records and cardiac investigations for review.

Useful documents may include:

• Echocardiogram reports

• ECG/EKG results

• Cardiac CT or MRI

• Cardiac catheterization reports

• Previous cardiology reports

• Previous surgical records

• Laboratory results

• Current medication list

The available medical information can help the cardiovascular team understand the patient's condition and determine an appropriate evaluation pathway.

Why Choose Mayo Clinic for Heart Valve Repair?

Mayo Clinic provides multidisciplinary cardiovascular care involving cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, cardiac imaging specialists and other healthcare professionals.

Patients with complex valve disease may benefit from coordinated assessment involving specialists in heart valve disorders, cardiovascular imaging, interventional cardiology and cardiac surgery.

The treatment approach is individualized according to valve anatomy, disease severity, symptoms, heart function and overall health.

Cost & Price on Request

Price: Price on Request

There is no single fixed price for heart valve repair.

The overall cost may depend on:

• Initial consultation

• Diagnostic testing

• Echocardiography

• Cardiac imaging

• Specialist consultations

• Surgical or catheter-based repair

• Anesthesia

• Hospitalization

• Intensive care when required

• Medications

• Follow-up care

• Cardiac rehabilitation

• Other medically necessary services

A personalized estimate should therefore be requested based on the recommended treatment plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is heart valve repair?

Heart valve repair is a treatment that corrects a damaged or abnormal heart valve while attempting to preserve the patient's own valve instead of replacing it.

2. Which heart valves can be repaired?

Selected conditions affecting the mitral, aortic, tricuspid and pulmonary valves may be treated with repair. Suitability depends on the valve's anatomy and the specific disease.

3. Is heart valve repair better than replacement?

When a durable repair is possible, preserving the patient's own valve can be an important treatment option. However, some valves cannot be repaired effectively and replacement may be recommended.

4. Is minimally invasive valve repair available?

Selected patients may qualify for minimally invasive or catheter-based valve repair. The appropriate approach depends on the patient's valve condition, anatomy and overall health.

5. How much does heart valve repair cost?

Price is available on request. The final cost depends on the patient's condition, diagnostic evaluation, procedure, hospitalization and other required medical services.

Product Details

Product Name: Heart Valve Repair

Hospital: Mayo Clinic – Rochester

Brand: Mayo Clinic

Country: United States

Specialty: Cardiology & Heart Surgery

Service Type: Cardiac Valve Treatment

Dashboard Price: 0

Customer-Facing Price: Price on Request

International Patients: Available

Location: Rochester, Minnesota, USA