Millions of Americans have some form of mitral valve disease. The mitral valve is an important valve in the heart that connects the left atrium to the left ventricle. When it becomes narrow or leaks backward, it can cause heart failure or heart rhythm problems. People with mitral valve disease often experience:
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath with activity and/or when lying down
- Irregular heartbeat
- Your doctor might hear an abnormal heart sound called a heart murmur
- Fainting or lightheadedness
- Swelling of the legs, ankles or feet
Transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR)
Surgical treatment often is necessary to treat mitral valve disease, even if you are not experiencing symptoms. At Denver Heart, our expert cardiologists are providing an advanced treatment called transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR). This treatment is minimally invasive, which means the procedure is done through several tiny incisions instead of one larger incision. This allows most patients to experience less blood loss, reduced complications, shorter hospital stays, and often a faster return to activity. It also allows us to treat patients who would otherwise not be able to undergo surgery because their bodies are not strong enough for an open surgery.
We have seen many benefits of this type of treatment including an improved quality of life and reduced hospitalizations for heart failure later in life.
If you want to learn more about transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR), please call us at (303) 331-9121 to schedule an appointment.