Heart Valve Program
The Heart Valve Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center brings together specialists to evaluate, treat and provide long-term care for patients with heart valve conditions.
- Request an appointment or referral
- Phone: 866-MGH-8910
Our Approach
Our Doctors
- Suhny Abbara, MD
- Arvind K. Agnihotri, MD
- Charles A. Boucher, MD
- William D. Carlson, MD, PhD
- Claudia U. Chae, MD
- Roman W. DeSanctis, MD
- Douglas E. Drachman, MD
- Henry Gewirtz, MD
- Shawn A. Gregory, MD
- Timothy E. Guiney, MD
- Kevin E. Heist, MD, PhD
- Paul L. Huang, MD
- Adolph M. Hutter, Jr., MD
- Ignacio Inglessis, MD
- James L. Januzzi, MD
- Robert A. Levine, MD
- Thomas E. Macgillivray, MD
- Joren C. Madsen, MD
- Wilfred S. Mamuya, MD, PhD
- Moussa C. Mansour, MD
- James C. McFarland, MD
- Theofanie Mela, MD
- Stephanie A. Moore, MD
- Christopher J. O’Donnell, MD
- Michael H. Picard, MD
- Kenneth Rosenfield, MD
- Bruce Rosengard, MD
- Jeremy N. Ruskin, MD
- Nandita Scott, MD
- Gail E. Semigran, MD
- Jagmeet P. Singh, MD
- Katharine O. Stansmore, MD
- Ahmed Tawakol, MD
- Gus J. Vlahakes, MD
- Jennifer D. Walker, MD
- Malissa J. Wood, MD
- Randall M. Zusman, MD
The Heart Valve Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center provides a multidisciplinary team of experts to manage complex and common valve diseases. In this unique program, a cardiologist, echocardiographer and cardiac surgeon work together to:
- Fully diagnose and understand a patient’s valve condition
- Determine if a heart valve is repairable or needs replacement
- Determine the right time to repair or replace a valve for a patient
A Convenient Process
Our team strives to make the evaluation process convenient and efficient by coordinating care among all specialists and by quickly communicating with referring physicians.
For example, prior to a patient's initial visit, Heart Valve Program physicians collect and review all records and imaging studies to determine what additional tests or consults are needed, and when possible, to schedule those appointments on the same day.
Initial Assessment
A patient's initial evaluation in the Heart Valve Program includes a full assessment, with a determination of whether or not an intervention is necessary, and if so, which procedure is most appropriate for the patient's specific condition.
Our physicians have seen the full spectrum of heart valve disorders and are experienced in treating the following conditions:
- Valve conditions originating at birth (congenital valve diseases)
- Damage to valves caused by rheumatic fever (rheumatic valve diseases)
- Weakening or aging of the valve (degenerative valve disease)
- Valve conditions related to abnormal function of the heart muscle (ischemic conditions)
- Inflammation of the inner layer of the heart (valve endocarditis)
Treatments and Procedures
Interventional cardiologists within the Heart Valve Program are leaders in catheter-based approaches to valve disease and perform a range of procedures, including:
- Mitral and aortic valvuloplasty for stenosis
- Insertion of closure devices for prosthetic paravalvular leaks
- Clinical trials for minimally invasive replacement of aortic valves or repair for mitral valve regurgitation
Our expert cardiac surgeons offer the following open surgical procedures:
- Valve repair surgery (mitral, aortic and tricuspid valve reconstruction)
- Valve replacement surgery (mechanical and bioprosthetic valve replacement, including homografts and stentless prostheses)
- Annular enlargement procedures for aortic valve replacement in small hearts
- Valve-sparing aortic root replacement
- Apico-aortic conduits for aortic stenosis
About This Program
The Heart Valve Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center brings together specialists in cardiology, echocardiography and cardiac surgery to provide an optimal evaluation, treatment and care of patients with heart valve disorders.
Under the leadership of co-directors Eric Isselbacher, MD, a cardiologist with extensive experience in the evaluation and management of heart valve disease, and Cary Akins, MD, a surgeon widely recognized for his contributions to the field of heart valve repair and replacement, the Heart Valve Program is made up of experts in the evaluation and treatment of valve diseases.
In addition, all of our physicians are on the faculty of Harvard Medical School, which means they not only have a mission to provide the best possible patient care, but also a commitment to educate the next generation of medical professionals.
Making a Mark on the Field of Cardiology
Heart Valve Program physicians have made breakthroughs in diagnosing heart valve diseases. In the late 1980s, our physicians helped redefine the criteria needed to diagnose mitral valve prolapse using echocardiography. Mitral valve prolapse is a condition that occurs when the valve between the left upper chamber and the left lower chamber of the heart doesn't close properly. By redefining these criteria, our physicians helped to drastically reduce the number of misdiagnosed patients in the United States. Today our physicians are continuing research on mitral valve prolapse, but focusing on cardiac genetics and its tie in to the condition.
Innovative Research
Currently Heart Valve Program specialists are investigating the effectiveness of a novel therapy to replace and repair heart valves using minimally invasive, catheter-based approaches. The percutaneous aortic valve replacement is designed to treat patients with severe aortic valve stenosis (a narrowing of the valve that restricts blood flow) who are considered high-risk or not candidates for traditional open heart surgery. Learn more about the percutaneous aortic valve replacement
Researchers are also investigating a percutaneous mitral valve repair for mitral regurgitation (leaking of the valve). The next step in mitral valve repair, this procedure uses a catheter-based approach to carefully repair the cusps of the mitral valve.
Conditions and Diseases
The care team at the Heart Center encourages all patients and family members to learn more about conditions and diseases that affect the heart and overall cardiovascular system. The links below provide more information about heart conditions and diseases that might be treated within this program.
Heart Valve Diseases
The heart’s valves can have one of two malfunctions - regurgitation (when the valve does not completely close) or stenosis (a narrowing of the valve).
Mitral Valve Prolapse
Mitral valve prolapse, also known as click-murmur syndrome, Barlow's syndrome, balloon mitral valve, or floppy valve syndrome, is the bulging of one or both of the mitral valve flaps (leaflets) into the left atrium during the contraction of the heart., also known as click-murmur syndrome, Barlow's syndrome, balloon mitral valve, or floppy valve syndrome, is the bulging of one or both of the mitral valve flaps (leaflets) into the left atrium during the contraction of the heart.
Rheumatic Heart Disease
Rheumatic heart disease is a condition in which permanent damage to heart valves is caused by rheumatic fever.
Support and Wellness
Mass General is dedicated to ensuring that people understand their health care choices and have the necessary information to make decisions affecting their health and well being. The related support and wellness information listed below can play a role in treatment options.
Guide to Cardiac Surgery
The Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center offers a patient guide to cardiac surgery. Our dedicated clinicians believe it is important for you to know what to expect before, during and after your surgery.
Guide to Cardiac Catheterization
The Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center offers a patient guide to cardiac catheterization. Our dedicated clinicians believe it is important for you to know what to expect before, during and after a cardiac catheterization.
Guide to Cardiac Anesthesia
The Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center offers a patient guide to cardiac anesthesia. Our dedicated clinicians believe it is important for you to know what to expect before, during and after a cardiac anesthesia.
News and Events
06/28/2008: Heart valve surgery without opening the chest
The Heart Center has joined a clinical trial evaluating the effectiveness of a novel therapy to replace heart valves using a minimally invasive, catheter-based approach.
An advanced cardiac CT scanner
Physicians at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center use cutting edge technology to identify possible cardiac abnormalities.
Watch a video of our minimally invasive aortic valve replacement procedure
The PARTNER (placement of aortic transcatheter valves) Trial is a minimally invasive aortic valve replacement procedure that is being investigated at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center.
Heart Center
55 Fruit StreetBoston, MA 02114
Phone: 866-MGH-8910
Public Transportation Access: yes
Disabled Access: yes
If you are a new patient, you may complete our online appointment form to request an appointment. Our outpatient access nurse will ask you more about your condition and symptoms, and match you with the best-fitting Heart Center physician.
Request an appointment at the Heart Center 
Call the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center outpatient access nurse at 866-MGH-8910
