Head and neck lymphedema can be caused by surgery or radiation therapy for tongue or throat cancer. It may also occur in the lower limbs or groin after surgery for colon, ovarian or uterine cancer, in which removal of lymph nodes or radiation therapy is required.
1 Heart attack. A heart attack can damage the area of the heart muscle that supports the mitral valve, affecting the function of the valve. If the damage is extensive enough, a heart attack can cause sudden and severe mitral valve regurgitation.  Abnormality of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy).
Mitral regurgitation occurs when the valve between the upper and lower chambers on the left side of the heart does not close properly. Mitral regurgitation can be caused by progressive structural changes in the leaflets of the mitral valve, certain infectious diseases and some heart attacks.