Rheumatic Mitral Valve Repair

Rhumatic fever has almost been eraicated in the developed world, however it remains prevelent in many under developed countries and causes devastating damage to heart valves. Up till recently valve replacement was the treatment of choice. The long term results and sequelae of valve replacement are...

common knowledge. Mitral and tricuspid valve replacement results are on the whole far worse than for example Aortic valve. Mitral valve replacement should be the last resort and patients with very severe valvular and sub valvular mitral disease can nowadays be helped by mitral valve repair. NO MITRAL OR TRICUSPID VALVE SHOULD BE REPLACED IF IT CAN BE REPAIRED