Study Shows Similar Results For Mitral Valve Surgical Options

For individuals with mitral valve prolapse, however, repair, instead of replacement, may still be your best option.

Published: February 11, 2014

For a long time, the preferred approach to treating mitral valve regurgitation (MR) was to repair the problem valve rather than replace it. But a two-year study found that for some patients, heart function and survival rates were similar whether they had their troubled mitral valves repaired or replaced. The mitral valve allows blood to flow from the left atrium down to the left ventricle.