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When a leaky mitral valve makes breathing difficult, doctors may look to an operation. But not everyone can safely have open-heart surgery. At the Center for Structural Heart Disease, we provide minimally invasive alternatives to relieve your symptoms and protect your body from harm.
Our doctors have extensive experience performing transcatheter mitral valve repairs with a device that clips onto the valve. We also play a leading role in exploring additional options and expanding treatment to more people.
Surgery remains the most common method for repairing or replacing the mitral valve, and our team includes top cardiac surgeons. But if you need a less invasive approach, we still have you covered. Our team offers:
When the mitral valve leaks, some blood can flow backward. This mitral valve regurgitation causes your heart to work harder. If the leaking is severe enough, your doctor will likely look to move beyond medications and treat the valve directly.
We use a well-established device that clips onto your mitral valve and can treat both forms of regurgitation. Doctors deliver it via a catheter, or thin tube. They start at a vein, usually in the groin, and thread the catheter toward the right side of your heart. They then cross over to your heart’s left side and head down to your mitral valve. Once there, they attach the device. The device helps the valve close more completely, reducing the amount of blood that leaks.
Learn more about what to expect from a minimally invasive heart procedure at Henry Ford.
For some people, the existing repair device doesn’t provide an ideal fix. We’re investigating another device for a minimally invasive repair that takes a different approach. It uses a series of small springs to reinforce the natural ring at the base of the mitral valve.
Some of the people who can’t have surgery need mitral valve replacement rather than repair. We’re involved in clinical trials of several replacement valves that could offer an alternative to surgery. These trials are only available at certain centers.
Our doctors also developed a way to make mitral valve replacement safer and available to more people. They use an existing treatment called alcohol septal ablation to make more room for the replacement valve. Learn more about this mitral valve replacement innovation.
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Know your heart risk in just 5 minutes! Take our Get Heart Smart quiz today and you will get a personalized heart risk report that could help you live healthier and longer.
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