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Chapters

0:00 Introduction
0:53 why is it done
1:52 what to expect from the procedure






• The heart is a delicate organ made up of several different components. 
• Damage to even one of them can cause lots of problems, that can prove fatal if left untreated for a while. 
• The mitral valve is one such component. Located between the left atrium and left ventricle of the heart, the mitral valve stops the backflow of blood to the atrium from the ventricle. 
• A mitral valve that does not close properly causes problems in blood circulation, which can hamper your daily activities. 
• To fix this and other such valves, surgery is required, and a major part of surgical mitral valve repair is annuloplasty. 
• Annuloplasty plays a prominent role in valve repair as it helps tighten or reinforce the valve tissue. 
• Let’s look at annuloplasty in detail: 
Why is it Done?
• An annuloplasty is usually performed during valve repair surgery to reinforce the leaflets of the valve, which helps improve coaptation, while also decreasing the stress on the leaflets and sutures. 
• An annuloplasty is essential during such surgical procedures as it reinforces, tightens, and can reshape the ring around a heart valve. 
• The ring around heart valves, known as the annulus, can widen with time and lose its shape. 
• This can occur due to a leaky valve or an enlarged heart. 
• The widened ring affects valve flaps attached to it. The flaps can no longer help the valve open and close properly.
• This causes the blood to flow back from the ventricle to the atrium, resulting in inefficient blood circulation. 
• Depending on the condition of the valve, an annuloplasty might have to perform. 
• The annuloplasty could be performed alone or as a part of another surgical procedure, like valve repair. 
What to Expect in the Procedure? 
• A typical annuloplasty procedure begins with a measurement of the size of the existing ring. 
• The measurement is important because even the most minute inaccuracy can prove to be quite dangerous for the patient. 
• The surgeon will then sew a band to the ring, with the band being either flexible or rigid based on the requirements of the patient’s valve. 
• Annuloplasty is common during open-heart surgeries but can also be performed as a part of minimally invasive heart surgery, which is performed with smaller incisions. 
• Annuloplasty is only prepared occasionally due to the sensitivity of the procedure. 
• Medical researchers are currently looking for less invasive ways to perform the procedure and other valve repair surgeries.