Cardiac Valve Program

Welcome to the Cardiac Valve Program at UConn’s Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center. Our team includes experienced cardiologists, cardiac imaging specialists, heart surgeons, perfusionists, and nurses. Together, we combine a full range of advanced diagnostic techniques with the latest available treatments including either valve repair or replacement. As the only university hospital in central Connecticut, our patients receive the advantages of the latest research and innovations in health care.

Treatment for All Forms of Valvular Disease

• Mitral regurgitation, both primary and secondary, including repair of myxomatous mitral valve
• Mitral stenosis
• Aortic stenosis, diagnosing pseudo and true stenosis, and optimizing timing of replacement
• Aortic regurgitation, diagnosing severity and etiologies as well as optimizing timing of surgery

Diagnostic Services

• Transthoracic and trans-esophageal echocardiography including 3-D
• Cardiac catheterization, hemodynamic measurements, and angiography to assess regurgitation
• Both noninvasive and invasive exercise testing for evaluation of cardiac reserve
• Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) for myocardial viability
• Cardiac consultation
  

Valvular Disease

Mitral Regurgitation
Quantitation of mitral regurgitation and determining the optimal time to perform repair or replacement in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients are important in preventing irreversible deterioration of heart function.

Aortic Regurgitation
Quantitation of the extent of regurgitation, remodeling, cardiac performance, appropriate medical therapy, and optimal timing of heart surgery are all important services performed at the cardiac valve program.

Aortic Stenosis
Differentiating pseudoaortic from true aortic stenosis is important in achieving an improved outcome. Determining the cardiac reserve in aortic stenosis can and will predict the outcome after aortic valve replacement. Proving the asymptomatic nature of patients with severe aortic stenosis and their ongoing monitoring are additional goals.