Mitral valve replacement gradually to regain strength. Patients who have physically demanding jobs will have to wait a little longer than those who don’t. Patients are also restricted from driving a car for six weeks after the surgery. Once a person has a mitral valve procedure, they are required to have prophylactic antibiotics as a preventative measure against infection whenever they have dental work done. Some scarring occurs after surgery. For median sternotomy (access through the sternum, or breastbone), the patient will have a vertical scar on the anterior chest above the sternum. If the heart is accessed from under the left breast
Mitral valve repair still low) risk of stroke. One cardiac surgery professor said, "I think the only benefit is for cosmesis for the patient and the benefit is for marketing and growing our practices for ourselves because it’s a good way to grow one's practice." Robotic mitral valve repair operations are also being utilized throughout the United States. In the 2000s there have been several trials of a newer strategy of mitral valve repair that does not require major cardiac surgery. Through a catheter inserted in the groin, the valve leaflets are clipped together. This technique – percutaneous mitral valve repair – is