Mitral valve repair surgery can be successfully performed in older patients who require concomitant coronary artery bypass surgery.

As in many patients with severe mitral valve prolapse and regurgitation, this 77-.year old patient had also developed atrial fibrillation. Therefore, we combined the mitral valve repair operation with both a coronary bypass surgery and a radio-frequency maze procedure, to correct his rhythm back to normal.

With permission from the patient to post, the patient is hemodynamically stable postop, with a well-repaired mitral valve, normal biventricular function, and his normal sinus rhythm has been restored.

In addition, as part of the maze procedure, an AtriCure clip was placed at the base of the left atrial appendage. This will allow the patient to enjoy a low risk of stroke in the future, even if the a-fib returns. In addition, the patient will no longer require blood thinners for atrial fibrillation in the future.

For patients, it’s important to know that higher volume surgeons are more likely to repair a mitral valve than to replace it, regardless of the patient’s age, or need for other procedures. This is why it’s important for patients to seek second opinions and to ask questions about their surgeon’s experience and outcomes.