Mayo Clinic's approach
Mayo Clinic team discussion
A multidisciplinary team of doctors and staff discusses research and technology, such as 3-D printing of models of the heart.
Your Mayo Clinic care team
At Mayo Clinic, cardiac surgeons work together as a team with cardiologists and other health care professionals to provide coordinated, comprehensive care for people undergoing mitral valve repair or mitral valve replacement.
Doctors collaborate to treat your condition. If you have other conditions in addition to mitral valve disease, doctors can often evaluate and treat other conditions during your visit. If you have other heart conditions that require surgery, surgeons may often perform these procedures at the same time as mitral valve repair or mitral valve replacement.
Advanced technology and treatment options
Doctors at Mayo Clinic perform the most current procedures and study new procedures for mitral valve repair and mitral valve replacement. For people with mitral valve disease, Mayo doctors may often recommend repairing the mitral valve when possible, as it preserves the mitral valve and may preserve heart function.
Having mitral valve repair may also allow some people to avoid complications that can occur with mitral valve replacement, such as the risk of blood clots with replacement valves and the risk of biological tissues valves failing over time. Some people with mitral valve disease may need mitral valve replacement.
Mayo Clinic doctors offer advanced treatment options, including minimally invasive heart surgery, which involves smaller incisions and may involve a quicker recovery than open-heart surgery. Doctors may evaluate you to determine if you're a candidate for minimally invasive heart surgery. Mayo cardiac surgeons have extensive experience and expertise in performing minimally invasive heart surgery to treat mitral valve disease.
Minimally invasive heart surgery includes surgery performed using instruments inserted through one or more small incisions in the chest (thoracoscopic surgery), surgery performed through a small incision in the chest, or surgery performed by a surgeon using robotic arms (robot-assisted heart surgery).
Minimally invasive heart surgery at Mayo Clinic
A Mayo Clinic surgeon performs minimally invasive heart surgery using long instruments inserted through small incisions in the chest.
In robot-assisted heart surgery, a surgeon sits at a remote console, viewing the heart in a magnified 3-D view on a video monitor and using robotic arms to conduct the procedure. A second surgeon and a surgical team assist at the operating table.
Robot-assisted heart surgery team at Mayo Clinic
A Mayo Clinic surgeon and surgical team assist with robot-assisted heart surgery, while another surgeon sits at a remote console controlling the robotic arms.
Mayo doctors may also use innovative minimally invasive procedures to repair a mitral valve using long, thin tubes (catheters) and clips or other devices. For example, doctors may repair a valve by inserting a catheter with a clip attached in an artery in the groin and guiding it to the mitral valve. Doctors use the clip to reshape the mitral valve. People who have severe symptoms of mitral valve regurgitation and who aren't candidates for surgery or who have high surgical risk may be considered for this procedure.
Individualized approach
Doctors at Mayo Clinic provide care for you as a whole person. Doctors take the time to get to know you and work with you to provide exactly the care you need.
Research and innovation
Mayo Clinic doctors and researchers are involved in developing and testing advanced technology and techniques used to perform mitral valve repair and mitral valve replacement, such as minimally invasive heart surgery.
Mayo Clinic doctors are also studying and developing new minimally invasive catheter procedures to repair or replace a mitral valve. For example, Mayo doctors may replace a mitral valve during a catheter procedure for some people with severe mitral valve disease who aren't candidates for surgery in a clinical trial.
Researchers study many areas related to heart valve diseases, including research in new blood-thinning medications for people with a mechanical valve replacement and genetics research in people with mitral valve disease.
Expertise and rankings
Collaboration
A Mayo Clinic doctor and surgeon collaborate and discuss mitral valve repair and replacement.
Experience and expertise
Mayo Clinic cardiologists and cardiac surgeons have experience and expertise evaluating and treating people who may need mitral valve repair or mitral valve replacement. Mayo doctors perform more than 500 mitral valve repairs and mitral valve replacements each year.
Pediatric cardiologists and pediatric cardiac surgeons at Mayo Clinic's campus in Minnesota have experience treating children with mitral valve disease and other heart conditions.
Cardiovascular surgery experience
Mayo Clinic cardiovascular and cardiothoracic surgeons at Mayo Clinic's campuses in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota have extensive experience performing a wide range of cardiac surgeries. Mayo doctors have been pioneers in cardiac surgery for many years. Mayo cardiac surgeons perform more than 4,500 cardiac surgeries each year.
Treatment expertise
Mayo Clinic doctors have expertise in evaluating and treating many cardiovascular diseases, from common diseases to highly complex conditions. Doctors trained in valve diseases, adult and pediatric congenital heart disease, and other areas may evaluate and treat people with cardiovascular diseases.
Mayo doctors in the Valvular Heart Disease Clinic have extensive experience and expertise evaluating and treating people with mitral valve disease and other heart valve diseases. Cardiologists evaluate people with mitral valve disease and determine whether mitral valve repair, mitral valve replacement or another treatment is most appropriate.
Nationally recognized expertise
Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Ariz., and Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., are ranked among the Best Hospitals for heart and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report. Mayo Clinic Children's Center in Rochester, Minn., is ranked among the Best Children's Hospitals for heart and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report.
With Mayo Clinic's emphasis on collaborative care, specialists at each of the campuses — Minnesota, Arizona and Florida — interact very closely with colleagues at the other campuses and the Mayo Clinic Health System.
Learn more about Mayo Clinic's cardiac surgery and cardiovascular diseases departments' expertise and rankings.
Locations, travel and lodging
Mayo Clinic has major campuses in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rochester, Minnesota. The Mayo Clinic Health System has dozens of locations in several states.
For more information on visiting Mayo Clinic, choose your location below:
Costs and insurance
Mayo Clinic works with hundreds of insurance companies and is an in-network provider for millions of people.
In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals, or may have additional requirements for certain medical care. All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need.
Learn more about appointments at Mayo Clinic.
Please contact your insurance company to verify medical coverage and to obtain any needed authorization prior to your visit. Often, your insurer's customer service number is printed on the back of your insurance card.
Clinical trials
Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this disease.