Introduction

Surgical treatment of mitral valve disease was first proposed by Sir Lauder Brunton in 1902.[1] Early attempts to treat mitral stenosis (MS) were performed using both sharp and blunt closed commissurotomies. Harken and Ellis helped establish the safety and efficacy of closed mitral commissurotomy, which was the only viable option for treating MS until the 1970s.[2] The advent of cardiopulmonary bypass opened the door to intracardiac surgery and the modern era of mitral valve treatment. In 1957, Lillehei and colleagues reported their experience with an open approach to treat mitral regurgitation (MR) and in subsequent years, Carpentier, Duran, and others contributed to technical advances for mitral valve repair.[3] Mitral valve replacement also underwent considerable technological advancement following Braunwald’s implantation of the first prosthetic mitral valve in 1960. Current research for mitral valve replacement continues to improve long-term durability of bioprosthetic valves, reduce thrombogenicity of mechanical valves, and development of transcatheter-based technology.[4],[5]