Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery

Our cardiac surgery team is among the few in the U.S. that offers minimally invasive mitral and tricuspid valve repair and replacement. The procedure offers the benefits of open-heart surgery without a sternotomy (opening the chest). This innovative approach results in significantly less pain and scarring and a faster, easier recovery.

We treat all types of mitral and tricuspid valve diseases with our advanced surgical techniques. Highlights of our program include:

• High volume: While most heart surgery programs perform an average of five mitral valve surgeries per year, our specialized surgeon performs 75-100 and has performed more than 1,000 total. Studies show that patients have better results when they receive care from cardiac surgeons who perform a high number of surgeries. 

• National recognition: Our program holds a 3-star rating (the highest possible) from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. We received this rating through our consistently positive outcomes and high-quality care. Fewer than 10% of heart surgery programs in the U.S. earn this distinction. 

• Subspecialty care: With our program, you receive care from a surgeon focusing exclusively on mitral and tricuspid valve surgery. This level of expertise ensures that your surgeon is highly skilled in the procedure you need.

Minimally invasive mitral and tricuspid valve repair and replacement offers the benefits of open-heart surgery using a smaller, less invasive incision. All patients are potential candidates for minimally invasive surgery, including those who might not be eligible for traditional open-heart surgery.

Rather than separating the breastbone, our surgeon makes a 2- to 3-inch incision on the side of your chest. The incision goes between your ribs and does not divide any bone. Potential advantages of this technique include:

• Smaller incision for less trauma to your body and quicker healing
• Faster return to full activities without any arm restrictions, unlike traditional heart surgery
• Lower risk of complications like bleeding and infection
• Shorter hospital stay after surgery
• Smaller, less visible scars

Your heart contains four valves, including your aortic, mitral, pulmonary and tricuspid valves. These valves have flaps that open and close as your heart beats. Each of your heart’s valves is important for proper blood flow into and out of your heart. 

If you have heart valve disease, one or more valves don’t open or close completely. Without treatment, a diseased heart valve can cause arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats), blood clots, heart failure and stroke. We use minimally invasive heart valve surgery to treat:

• Mitral valve regurgitation, or a leaky mitral valve, which happens when the mitral valve cannot close properly. With this condition, your heart must work harder to pump blood to your body. Mitral valve regurgitation is the most common type of heart valve disease.
• Mitral valve stenosis, which means your mitral valve is thickened or narrowed, so it doesn’t open properly to let blood through. As a result, your heart cannot pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs.
• Tricuspid valve regurgitation, a leaky tricuspid valve that causes blood to flow backward in your heart.
• Tricuspid valve stenosis, a rare heart condition that occurs when your tricuspid valve is too narrow. Usually, tricuspid valve stenosis occurs with other heart valve conditions.

Our patients share their stories

 Read how mitral valve surgery helped our patients get back on the road to good health.

Fewer than 10% of heart surgery programs in the nation offer minimally invasive mitral valve surgery. Because our methods are not widely available, it’s normal to have questions about the surgery. Some of the most common questions we receive include:

Craig Hampton, MD, FACS, performs minimally invasive heart valve surgery at the Center for Cardiovascular Health in Tacoma, Washington. Learn more about Dr. Hampton and how to schedule an appointment.