Dr. Trento likens the mitral valve to a "parachute with strings" attached to the heart muscle. "Sometimes these strings break and, if there are several in one area, the valve will 'flail,' or flip back. That's where the leak occurs," he explained. "What we do is remove the piece of parachute with broken strings, and put it back together to create a smaller, more adequately working parachute."
Mitral valve repair, which Dr. Bredberg underwent in June 1999, requires open heart surgery because of the delicate work involved. Patients typically remain hospitalized for just five days after surgery to complete post-cardio rehab and to monitor their recovery.
"The evening after my operation, I was alert and experiencing no pain," said Dr. Bredberg. "During my hospital stay, they kept me up walking and exercising to prevent the tissue from scarring."
A month after surgery, Dr. Bredberg had already officiated at a wedding and was looking forward to returning to his part-time dental practice in another week. He was gradually increasing his exercise, walking about half an hour each day and climbing 400 to 500 stairs. "I feel excellent now, and I'm getting stronger every day," he related.
Dr Trento urges patients with serious mitral valve problems to ask their physicians about seeing a surgeon experienced in mitral valve repair.
"Many patients aren't aware they can have a repair rather than a replacement," he stressed. "I've treated many patients who were so grateful they could keep their own valve. These patients do very well and, with repair, the valve should last for good."
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Contact: Sandra Van
sandy@vancommunications.com
1-800-396-1002
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
31-Aug-1999