Mitral valve insufficiency, or mitral regurgitation, is a congenital or, more often, acquired heart defect that results from damage to the bicuspid (mitral) valve by inflammatory processes such as rheumatic disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic scleroderma, arteritis, etc.
Patients with rheumatic disease are particularly at risk. Mitral regurgitation is a heart defect diagnosed more often in children, adolescents, and young adults.
The mitral valve prevents oxygen-rich blood coming from the lungs from flowing back into the lungs when the heart contracts, whereas in mitral regurgitation, oxygen-rich blood flows back toward the lungs.
The ideal treatment for mitral regurgitation is valve repair. Mitral repair can be performed through the side of the chest under the armpit. Mitral valve repair is performed endoscopically through an incision of about 4–5 cm under the right breast.
Information on this site is general and does not replace an examination by a doctor.