Minimally invasive heart procedure launched in Oxford

More life-saving heart procedures can now be performed much less invasively in our hospitals thanks to the introduction of specialist equipment funded by generous donors of Oxford Hospitals Charity.

The fantastic clinical team in the department of Cardiothoracic Surgery specialises in treatments affecting organs within the chest such as your heart and lungs. One routine operation, impacting between 80-100 patients each year, is the mitral valve procedure.

The mitral valve is a tiny part of the heart that stops blood flowing back into the lungs and if malfunctioning can lead to serious conditions such as heart failure. In such cases, the valve is repaired and up until now has been done via a large incision along the breastbone.

However, thanks to the introduction of new equipment in 2024 the cardiothoracic surgical team is now offering a much less invasive procedure called minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) as a way of repairing the heart valve.

For suitable patients, the team can now undertake the procedure via a smalll incision to the right of the chest – avoiding the need for a much larger incision down the breastbone.

MIMVS is a well-established approach to such a procedure and has proven to mean less time in hospital for patients, a lesser risk of infection due to a smaller incision space, plus a better cosmetic result with a less visible scar. The recovery process after the less painful MIMVS operation is also a much better experience for patients who can often return to normal daily activities such as driving more quickly.

Although not suitable for all patients, there is growing awareness about MIMVS procedure, especially in younger patients, and there is increasing demand for this approach.

Now, as a result of Oxford Charity Hospitals donors support the Cardiothoracic Surgery department is able to offer this as an alternative to the traditional sternotomy approach to dozens of patients each year.

Donate to support vital work at the Oxford Heart Centre.