Minimal access mitral valve repair

This website requires Adobe Flash, please download the latest flash player.

Get Adobe Flash Player

A normal functioning mitral valve allows the oxygenated blood coming from the lungs to flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle only in one direction.

The two portions of the mitral valve close under the pressure of the blood squeezed by the beating heart.

The valve is kept in a close position by many tiny ropes called "cordae". Many conditions such as infections or degeneration can cause these cordaes to fail or to even break causing the valve to leak as shown above.

The portion of the damaged valve which is not supported by its cordae allows blood to flow backwards to the left atrium. Surgery consists of replacing all damaged cordae with new synthetic ones.

The blood from the lungs flows from the atrium to the left ventricle via the mitral valve.