Mitral Valve Prolapse is a condition that commonly described as a floppy and loose heart valve leaflet that can cause a severe leakage of the mitral valve. Our clinical data show that 16% of women between the ages of 25 and 40 are affected by this pathology. That means one woman out of six! Once the diagnosis is made it is important to repeat an echocardiogram at least once a year to insure that there is not a severe mitral valve leakage and antibiotics are recommended prior to dental or other medical procedures that release bacteria in the blood stream.

This is recommended to prevent a dangerous infection of the valve known as Endocarditis. When the leakage is severe the majority of patients notice worsening{dyspnea| shortness of breath}, irregular heart beats, low energy levels, anxiety, panic attacks and in cases that have been neglected too long leg swelling and water in the lungs. Let me make it absolutely clear: this problem must be fixed surgically before it causes irreversible damage to the heart. The prospect of surgery brings obviously many questions and fears about what to expect. I'll answer the most common concerns and questions I hear from my patients.

How risky is it? In expert hands a mitral valve repair operation carries a risk below 1%

Can the mitral valve be repaired rather than replaced with an artificial valve? An expert mitral valve surgeon can repair a leaky mitral valve in over 95% of the cases.

How long is the surgical incision? A minimally invasive heart surgery expert can perform the operation through a 2" long incision. This tiny scar is completely out of sight in the skin fold underneath the breast and looks pretty much like a plastic surgery breast scar. It will be invisible no matter what you wear!

How long is the recovery? Most patients are out of bed and walking in less than 24 hours and can go home in 48 hours. I normally recommend about ten days of rest before resuming full physical and work activity.

Can surgery be avoided? No! It is a mechanical problem and it requires a very precise surgical tailoring to give our patients a reliable and permanent treatment of their disease.

Is it safe to wait? Every situation is different and should be discussed with an expert mitral valve surgeon. If you have a severeleakage with symptoms you are much better off with an early mitral valve repair.

What happens if I don't undergo surgery? The heart will progressively and irreversibly enlarge and your symptoms will increase in severity with the onset of congestive heart failure, lung congestion, big swollen legs and profound dyspnea and weakness. Your heart rhythm will often become irregular (atrial fibrillation) and require coumadin, a blood thinnerblood thinners to help prevent strokes. In summary, it is not your best option: you won't live as long OR as well as a someone in the same situation who had a successful mitral valve repair. If you are experiencing these symptoms or you know that you have mitral valve disease start looking for a reputable Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery Center to find out about your best options to regain a perfectly normal life style and life expectancy. If there is no expertise in this type of repairs in your neighborhood, it is certainly worth a trip out of town to have these better choices available. It's your heart, it's your body, it's your life!