The Mitral Foundation: How to heal broken hearts

Since 2009 the Mitral Foundation has been dedicated to advancing the care of patients with mitral valve disease on a global scale. The initiator, president and driving force behind the foundation is Dr. David H. Adams, MD., professor, chairman, cardiac surgeon-in-chief and recognized leader in the field of heart valve surgery and mitral valve reconstruction.

The essential objectives of the Mitral Foundation are to:

• Support basic and clinical research and promising new treatments
• Develop regional reference centers
• Train surgeons in local hospitals all over the world to learn to perform mitral valve repair procedures
• Perform life-saving surgery on young adult patients
• Recruit experienced personnel (physicians and clinical support), and arrange for supplies and equipment (identify, collect, pack, and transport)
• Send volunteer teams include physicians, nurses, echocardiographers, anesthesiologists, perfusionists and support staff, and thus ensure multi-disciplinary interaction and education.

The Foundation’s work reaches across continents as it organizes surgical missions to developing countries and leads mitral valve repair workshops around the globe, educating surgeons from over 50 countries. 

The Mitral Foundation has partnered with leading corporations such as Edwards Lifesciences and Medtronic to host mitral valve repair workshops. Clinical sessions moderated by Drs. Anyanwu (surgeon) and Randolph Martin (cardiologist) provide a professional learning platform for attendees. International visiting surgeons include Marc Gillinov (Cleveland Clinic), Hugo Vanermen (Hirslanden Hospital) and Tirone David (Toronto General Hospital).