Surgery

Cardiac Valve Program

The UCLA Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery is a long-time leader in heart valve care, with an international, national, and regional reputation for excellence. Through the UCLA Division and Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, we offer advanced cardiac valve programs that meet the highest standards in patient care, research, and education. Our surgeons provide a continuum of patient care - diagnosis, treatment, surgery, non-surgical catheter-based procedures, and rehabilitation - unmatched in our region.  Our UCLA heart specialists offer a coordinated approach and access to a wide range of the latest treatment options for heart valve disease. Our cardiologists and heart surgeons offer the newest medications, minimally invasive valve repair techniques as well as a full spectrum of classical surgical solutions with valve repair or replacement procedures.

Our program provides:

  • Access to a thorough diagnosis through a wide array of tests including: 3-dimensional echocardiogram (echocardiograms help physicians assess heart function, anatomy, and blood flow), coronary and left heart angiograms and nuclear imaging studies or radionuclide scans to study blood flow and heart function as well as genetic testing.
  • Advanced medical and interventional treatments for valve disease including: Pharmacologic interventions, Balloon valvuloplasty for valvular stenosis and valve surgery Procedures.

Our surgeons perform the complete range of valve repair and replacement procedures, including:

Aortic Valve

  • Repair
  • Replacement
  • Minimally invasive surgery

Mitral Valve

  • Repair
  • Replacement
  • Minimally invasive surgery
  • Robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery for valve repair

Pulmonary Valve

  • Repair
  • Removal of clots, such as those associated with pulmonary hypertension
  • Procedures for congenital heart conditions

Tricuspid Valve

  • Repair
  • Replacement
  • Minimally invasive surgery
  • Robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery for valve repair