University of Wisconsin Cardiovascular Surgery: Mitral Valve Repair

Mitral Valve Repair

Mitral regurgitation is the most common type of heart valve disorder. According to the National Institutes of Health, it affects approximately 6% of women and 3% of men. After 55 years of age, almost 20% of men and women have some level of mitral regurgitation.

Traditionally, surgeons have treated mitral valve disorders by replacing the diseased valve with an artificial valve. Artificial valves can be mechanical or can come from an animal donor. However, there are many advantages to repairing, rather than replacing, a diseased mitral valve.

Surgeons at the University of Wisconsin are on the forefront of mitral valve repair surgery. Our doctors repair 87.5% percent of all mitral valves in patients referred for mitral valve surgery. This is substantially higher than the national average of 50%.

Our program's success is demonstrated through our experience and our outstanding results. This level of dedication affords us the opportunity to offer patients with mitral valve disorders the best surgical care, a substantially improved quality of life, and enables us to avoid the use of blood thinners like coumadin.