Success Rate of Mitral Valve Repair

The success rate of mitral valve repair surgery depends on the type of problem with the mitral valve.  In general, the success rate of mitral valve repair surgery is high. 

The most common type of problem with the mitral valve is known as degenerative mitral valve disease.  The mortality has been shown to be very low with surgical repair of degerative valve disease.  The perioperative mortality (immediately around the time of surgery) is around 2%.  One study evaluated 162 patients who received surgery between 1970 and 1984.  The 20 year mortality was found to be 48%, which is similar to the general population with the same age distribution (Reference).  The study also reported that 94% of patients did not need a second operation after 10 years, and 92% of patients did not need a second operation 20 years after the initial mitral valve repair.  Another study from the Cleveland Clinic had a 0.3% surgical mortality, and 93% of patients did not need a second operation after 10 years.  (Reference).  These results show that mitral valve repair surgery has a low risk of mortality with good long term results. 

Other types of mitral valve disease are caused by infection (rheumatic heart disease) and myocardial infarction (or heart attacks).  There is a lower survival rate with mitral valve repair surgery in these types of valve disease.