Keyhole mitral valve surgery Cutting-edge surgery with a rapid recovery time

This is a procedure to correct problems with your mitral valve, which is a small but very important flap in your heart that stops blood flowing the wrong way. This new approach is a minimally invasive procedure, otherwise known as endoscopic mitral valve surgery. It can be used to perform either mitral valve replacement or mitral valve repair.

What happens during the surgery?

Your surgeon will insert specially designed surgical tools, including an endoscope (a thin tube with a light and camera attached to the end of it), through a series of small incisions in your chest.

We use an advanced high-definition 3D camera to transmit images of inside of your chest to a screen so that your surgeon can see how to perform it with precision and ease.

The repair happens in same way as with traditional open-heart surgery.

In your body, the mitral valve sits on the left-hand side of your heart between your left atrium and ventricle. It regulates blood flow from your lungs into your left ventricle.

Mitral valve disease is an umbrella term used to describe two types of damage to this valve: stenosis and regurgitation.

Mitral valve stenosis occurs when the mitral valve in your heart is narrowed and does not open as widely as it should, restricting blood flow to your heart.

Meanwhile, mitral regurgitation is caused by mitral prolapse (when the valve becomes floppy and does not close tightly), which leads to blood flowing the wrong way in your heart.

What are the most common symptoms of mitral valve disease?

The first symptom of mitral valve disease is a murmur on the left-hand side of your chest. Your GP can identify this through a simple stethoscope check. Your doctor will then perform an echocardiogram test to confirm the severity of damage to your mitral valve. Other symptoms might include:

• Palpitations
• Breathlessness
• Dizziness
• Swollen legs (this usually happens at a later stage)

It is worth noting that not everyone experiences symptoms of mitral valve disease.

The cause of mitral valve disease is still unknown.

The main benefits of the keyhole surgery are its fast recovery time and improved cosmetic scars.

The procedure has been proven to get you back to a normal quality of life faster than with traditional open surgery, as well as offering better aesthetic results (less scarring). Recovery from traditional open-heart surgery can take up to three months, during which time you can’t lift any heavy objects. With keyhole surgery, you can recover within one month, getting back to your usual activities and the hustle and bustle of everyday life within just three to four weeks.

There is also less risk of blood loss and infection with this type of surgery, meaning you are likely to return home from hospital sooner.

While open heart surgery uses a large incision (cut) down the front of your chest, endoscopic surgery is performed using a 'keyhole' approach. This procedure generally requires a one-inch incision into your groin and a two-inch incision into the right side of your chest, along with around four smaller (one centimetre or less) incisions around the right breast area.

Mr Joseph Zacharias, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at The Alexandra Hospital in Manchester, is our dedicated specialist for keyhole mitral valve surgery. As the only consultant who can perform this surgery at our hospital, he is highly knowledgeable about when it is needed and how it can make a massive difference to the lives of his patients. 

"Most patients who need mitral or tricuspid valve surgery will be suited to this keyhole surgery" says Mr Zacharias. "However, if you have narrowed arteries in your groin or heart then it might not be suitable for you. A CT scan helps us decide that."

He continues: "This approach is very attractive to young people who may be more concerned about the cosmetic results.

It is also good for elderly people who recover quicker from this smaller incision and can go back to independent living faster.

The reduction in chest wound pain and infection is a big advantage to all age groups."