MVP Surgery

Posted by Carol on June 06, 1999 at 11:35:30
I am a 56 year old female with severe bileaflet MVP with severe mitral regurgitation, normal left ventricular function, left atrium is mildly enlarged.  My cardiologist has recommended that I have surgery now while the only symptom is fatigue, rather than wait.  I just had a cardiac catherterization and I appear to be an excellent candidate for repair rather than replacement.  (Would a TEE need to be done as well?)
To optimize my chance of repair I will need to find an "experienced" surgeon in my area or make the case to the insurance company that I need to have this done by Dr. Cosgrove in Cleveland.  Experience can be quantified and compared and therefore I would like the following statistics, and any others you feel relevant.
How many MVP surgeries (for regurgitation, not stenosis) did Dr. Cosgrove perform in 1998?
How many of those were repair rather than replacement?
How many of his anticipated repairs have typically resulted in replacement instead?
What percentage of repairs typically needs to be redone in a 1-3 year period?
What would you consider a minimum annual number of MVP repairs to constitute adequate surgical experience by a respected cardio-thoracic surgeon in a university medical center setting?
What follow-up care is done by the surgeon after discharge from the hospital?

Thank you,
Carol

Posted by Annie on June 07, 1999 at 21:34:34
Hi Carol!
I also had a mitral valve repair in last January, if u would like to
hear from it, contact me directly, i would be glad to share my experience
with you.
Take care and good luck.
Annie.

Posted by peggy on June 07, 1999 at 23:02:39

I have been diagnosed with mild mitral insufficiency.  Does this mean that I will need surgery.  I am 44 and did not even know I had this until after a EKG during a physical less than a year ago.  Your experience with Mitral Valve Insufficiency would be appreciated.

Posted by CCF CARDIO MD - DLB on June 08, 1999 at 10:44:04
Dear Peggy
It depends on what the mitral valve looked like and why it was leaking. Regardless of the etiology, a mild degree of leakage usually causes no problem and infrequently progresses to a state for which surgery is necessary. You should just be re-evaluated periodically.
I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.
Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own doctor. If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.