Severe mitral valve regurgitation, early pulmonary hypertention, wegners granulomous

[smt6101]

I was just dx with heart murmur. Had echo, severe mitral valve regurgitation, early pulmonary hypertension and i have wegners in sinus (wegers dx 2012.) is repair feasible, minimally invasive repair? Also where is a high volume center in Florida that does mitral repairs?

[Ger57]

With the echogram (and if this test is inconclusive perhaps some other tests), they will determine if a repair is possible.

The repair is preferred for many reasons:
short stay in hospital
very short recovery period afterwards
no foreign tissue/materials in the body of the patient (so less medication)

Good luck to you,
Ger

[smt6101]

Thanks, How do I find great doc who has done many of these? I feel lost!

[Ger57]

I do not live in the US, so I can not really help you with that.
With a simple search on the web I did find: The West Florida Mitral Valve Repair Center at Blake Medical Center is one of only a few centers nationally achieving mitral repair rates above 98%. That means our team is able to repair (rather than replace) the valve over 98% of the time.

[Ger57]

Nowadays mitral valve regurgitation can often be solved via minimally invasive repair surgery.
If the valve really needs to be replaced, it is only possible via open heart surgery. Mitral valve replacement via a catheter will probably an option within a couple of years, but is afaik not possible yet.

Whether in your case mitral valve repair is necessary/possible depends on a lot of things and the optimal moment for repair is often carefully planned by your cardiologist.  
Also, your cardiologist will have to decide which solution is preferred, repair or replacement.

[smt6101]

How can they determine replaced or repaired?

[smt6101]

and thank you!