Mitral valve repair best course of action. For patients with the most common type of mitral valve disease, termed "degenerative" or "myxomatous" mitral valve disease, repair rates are very high and long term durability is excellent. There has been great debate about timing of surgery in patients with asymptomatic mitral valve regurgitation. The traditional surgical approach to a mitral valve repair is a full or partial sternotomy, in which the surgeon cuts through the breastbone at the center of the chest to access the heart. There are minimally invasive (port access) options available pioneered by Hugo Vanerman in Belgium. The minimally invasive approach
Mitral valve replacement biological or mechanical valve. The left artium is then closed, and the patient weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass. After surgery patients are typically taken to an intensive care unit (ICU). There are two primary types of artificial mitral valves: mechanical valves and bioprosthetic tissue (biological) valves. The mechanical valves are made from metal and pyrolytic carbon, and can last a lifetime. Patients with mechanical valves must take blood-thinning medications to prevent clotting. Bioprosthetic valves are made from animal tissues. Use of these biological valves allows patients to avoid blood thinners. However, the bioprosthetic valves may only last 10 to 15 years.