Mitral Valve Surgery

Posted By Fred on September 29, 1998 at 14:27:47:







I am a 50 year old male with MVP and moderate regurgitation, and live in
the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington DC.  I have been reading
in the forum about the two ways that MVP is surgically corrected
(repair or replacement), if needed.  I have also noted that there is minimally
invasive procedure for such surgery.  
My questions are these: 1) Who developed the minimally invasive
procedure, and where? 2) Does the minimally invasive procedure carry any
more/less risk? 3) Is the minimally invasive procedure common enough
that I should be able to find a qualified and experienced doctor in the
northern Virginia area to perform such a procedure? 4) Can the
minimally invasive procedure be used regardless of whether the mitral
valve is repaired or replaced?  and 5)  How long can one expect a mitral
valve repair to last compared to a mitral valve replacement?
Any information you can provide will be greatly appreciated.
                                 Thanks, Fred