Mitral stenosis surgery overview


 * Associate Editor-In-Chief: Mohammed A. Sbeih, M.D. [mailto:msbeih@perfuse.org]

Overview
Mitral valve surgery can be either a repair for the mitral valve or totally replace it in the heart.

Beside Percutaneous mitral balloon valvotomy (PMBV), surgical treatments for mitral stenosis include:


 * Closed commissurotomy.
 * Open commissurotomy (valve repair).
 * Mitral valve replacement.

In open surgery, the surgeon makes a large cut in the sternum to reach the heart. Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery is done through much smaller surgical cuts than the large cuts needed for open surgery.