Heart Valve Surgery

Valve Repair and Replacement

University of Chicago heart surgeons have expertise in all types of heart valve surgeries, including complex valve repair and replacement and minimally invasive valve surgery. Our cardiac surgeons are pioneers in this field, and can often offer surgical solutions that are not available at most hospitals. Heart valve problems that benefit from surgery include congenital valve disorders, leaky valves that don't close properly (regurgitation), infected valves, and narrowed valves that don't open correctly (stenosis).

Our cardiac surgeons aim to repair malfunctioning heart valves before opting for total valve replacement. Valve repair may involve sewing damaged valve flaps or strengthening the "ring" that holds the valve in place. If valve repair is not a viable option, University of Chicago cardiac surgeons can replace the faulty heart valves with artificial or biological valves taken from human or animal valve tissue. Our surgeons carefully assess which type of heart valve is best for each patient. These same specialists are currently investigating new and better methods to repair valves, and have access to the most advanced artificial valves.

Here, our cardiac surgeons regularly take on challenging cases, such as those that involve the repair or replacement of more than one heart valve at a time, or "redo" operations to correct unsuccessful valve surgeries. Many of our patients are considered high risk, including people who have had several prior heart surgeries, those with co-existing medical conditions, elderly and overweight individuals, and people who have been turned down for heart surgery at other hospitals. While we routinely care for high-risk patients, our team welcomes any patient with a heart valve problem that can benefit from surgery.

Minimally Invasive Valve Surgery

Minimally invasive valve surgery is a breakthrough approach to treating heart valve disease. Rather than making a large incision through the breastbone (sternum) to gain access to the heart, this method uses sophisticated instruments to perform the surgery through a smaller incision at the side of the chest.

University of Chicago cardiac surgeons are leaders in the field of minimally invasive valvular heart surgery, and have performed more of these procedures than surgeons at any other hospital in the region. Minimally invasive valve surgery is a highly advanced technique that requires special expertise and equipment. Only select hospitals offer this approach.

Minimally invasive valve surgeries performed here include:

• Aortic valve repair or replacement
• Mitral valve repair and replacement
• Tricuspid valve repair or replacement

Benefits of the Minimally Invasive Approach

Minimally invasive surgery has many benefits, including the following:

• Faster recovery and a quicker return to normal activities
• Less time spent in the hospital
• Small incisions that result in little to no scarring. Depending upon the procedure, incisions may be four to five dime-size slits or a 3- to 5-inch incision at the side of the chest.
• Quicker resolution of pain, with many patients able to control pain after discharge with Tylenol or other over-the-counter pain medicines
• Because the breastbone (sternum) remains intact, patients avoid the risk for infection and other complications associated with cutting it (sternotomy) that may occur with traditional open-chest procedures

Robotic Minimally Invasive Valve Surgery

Some valve problems are treated with the assistance of the da Vinci Surgical System, a sophisticated robotic device. Procedures performed with the da Vinci system are done through four to five fingertip-size slits at the side of the chest.

Video: Animation of Robotic Mitral Valve Repair Surgery

Currently, our team offers mitral and tricuspid valve repair using the surgical robot.

Valve Surgery Procedures

Our surgeons perform the complete range of valve repair and replacement procedures, including:

Aortic Valve

• Repair
• Replacement
• Minimally invasive surgery

Mitral Valve

• Repair
• Replacement
• Minimally invasive surgery
• Robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery for valve repair

Pulmonary Valve

• Repair
• Removal of clots, such as those associated with pulmonary hypertension
• Procedures for congenital heart conditions

Tricuspid Valve

• Repair
• Replacement
• Minimally invasive surgery
• Robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery for valve repair

Learn More

Visit the University of Chicago Center for Valve Disease website to learn more about the diagnosis and treatment of heart valve disease.

More Information

• Diagnostic Services
• Medical & Nonsurgical Care
• Surgical Care