Penn's O/E mortality rate for aortic valve is 0.79; for mitral valve, it is 0.76.

O/E = Observed to Expected mortality rate based on STS risk adjustment algorithm.
(Spring 2007 Harvest Report)

Mitral Valve Repair vs. Replacement
Penn offers a varied array of surgical techniques and options for patients with mitral valve insufficiency, including repair via sternotomy, minimally invasive sternal-sparing surgery, robotic surgery with three-dimensional endoscopic imaging, and advanced port access surgery.

Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery
Penn cardiac surgeons specialize in minimally invasive mitral valve repair:

• W. Clark Hargrove III, MD, is a national leader in port access mitral valve repair, having performed more than 600 of these complex surgeries.
• Y. Joseph Woo, MD, is currently advancing the use of robotic surgery with three-dimensional imaging for mitral valve surgery.
• Charles R. Bridges, MD, ScD, is a specialist in the use of bloodless surgical techniques for minimally invasive mitral valve repair and coronary artery bypass procedures.

Aortic Root Procedures
Penn continues to perform aortic root replacement with bioprosthetic composite grafts and mechanical valve conduits for the treatment of aortic root pathology. These methods permit aortic root replacement in a variety of settings, including acute dissection and endocarditis.

Furthermore, reoperative aortic root replacement is becoming increasingly common. Penn’s experience demonstrates that reoperative aortic root replacement can be performed with acceptable perioperative mortality rate and satisfactory long term survival.

Valve-Sparing Root Procedures
The aggressive pursuit of valve-sparing strategies at Penn has succeeded in generating better outcomes for patients with aortic root disease. Valve-sparing procedures preserve the native valve, thus avoiding life-long anticoagulation and improving hemodynamic performance.

In 2006, Penn cardiovascular surgeons expanded the parameters for valve-sparing aortic root surgery to embrace patients previously contraindicated for the procedure, including older patients and high risk patients with previous aortic dissections, bicuspid aortic valve procedures and Marfan Syndrome.

Penn’s expertise in performing this procedure has resulted in excellent results with no mortality. Penn surgeons performed 42 David V procedures between 2000-2006.

Percutaneous Valve*

Penn’s experience with valve surgery brings new participation in a ground breaking trial for percutaneous aortic valve replacement for exceptionally high-risk patients with aortic stenosis. This trial, led by co-principal investigators Joseph E. Bavaria, MD, and Howard C. Herrmann, MD, will begin in Fall 2007.

*CAUTION: Investigational device. Limited by Federal (USA) Law to investigational use.