Heart Valve Repair

Some of the most common forms of valve repair surgery are:

Aortic valve repair procedures

• Balloon valvuloplasty, to treat narrowing of a heart valve. A catheter is inserted and threaded up to the valve. A “balloon” on the end of the catheter is inflated to widen the opening of the valve, allowing more blood to flow through the valve.
• Traditional valve repair is a form of open-heart surgery to widen the valve opening, remove calcium deposits, reshape the valve, patch holes, or remove sections of the valve that interfere with its operation.
• Minimally invasive valve repair uses smaller incisions to repair your heart's valves. Most valve repairs can be done in a minimally invasive fashion. The benefits of minimally invasive surgery include a smaller scar, less blood loss, and a quicker recovery compared to traditional approaches. Most people are candidates for minimally invasive valve surgery.
• TCAR (Transcarotid Artery Revascularization) is a minimally invasive procedure developed to treat carotid artery disease and prevent stroke. Through a small incision, the surgeon implants a carotid stent to stabilize the artery.

Mitral valve repair procedures

• Mitral valve repair treats mitral valve insufficiency (mitral regurgitation). This is when the mitral valve cannot close properly, causing blood to leak into the left atrium. Most valvular repairs are performed using minimally invasive cardiac surgery.
• Mitral Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair (TEER) is used for patients with a leaky valve who are at higher risk for surgical repair or replacement. The procedure, performed by a specialized interventional cardiologist and a heart surgeon, involves threading a tube through your leg vein to your mitral valve.