Skillful Mitral Valve Replacement in Northern California

The mitral valve controls blood flow in the left side of your heart. If you have a faulty mitral valve, your doctor may recommend mitral valve replacement surgery. During this procedure, a surgeon removes the damaged valve and replaces it with an artificial one. A new mitral valve allows your heart to work more efficiently, relieving symptoms and preventing complications of mitral valve disease. 

Our heart experts at Dignity Health North State provide knowledgeable care for many cardiac conditions, including mitral valve disease. Find a Doctor to learn about mitral valve replacement in Northern California.

Your Mitral Valve Replacement at Dignity Health North State

If your mitral valve is too badly damaged to be repaired, your doctor may recommend mitral valve replacement. 

The mitral valve allows oxygen-rich blood to flow from your lungs, through the heart, and out to your body. A damaged mitral valve can allow blood to back up into the lungs, causing chest pain and shortness of breath.

Certain medical conditions can affect the mitral valve, including mitral valve stenosis and mitral valve prolapse.

Mitral valve replacement can improve blood flow and relieve symptoms of chest pain and lung congestion. 

Know What to Expect

Mitral valve replacement can be accomplished with a minimally invasive procedure or with traditional open heart surgery.

In a minimally invasive procedure, your Dignity Health North State surgeon makes several small incisions in your chest, through which the faulty mitral valve is extracted and the replacement is implanted. Replacement valves can be mechanical (typically made from titanium or carbon) or biological (human or animal tissue).

In the open heart version of mitral valve replacement surgery, the valve is accessed through a large incision in the breastbone that exposes the heart. 

Both types of surgeries are performed in a state-of-the-art operating room at one of our Northern California hospitals, and require several days of postoperative observation.

Recovering from Surgery

Immediately after your surgery, you will be monitored in a specialized cardiac unit. When your condition is stable, you will likely be moved to a regular hospital room.

When you are ready to go home, your Dignity Health North State care team will provide you with detailed instructions for incision care, your prescription medication regimen, and approved physical activity. Follow these instructions carefully and return to see your cardiologist for follow-up.  

Dignity Health North State provides advanced treatment options for damaged heart valves, including mitral valve replacement, in Mt. Shasta, Red Bluff, and Redding, CA.