December 29, 2022 — The Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai was named a Mitral Valve Repair Reference Center, a recognition awarded to select U.S. medical centers that have a record of superior clinical outcomes resulting from evidence-based, guideline-directed degenerative mitral valve repair.
Ranked #1 in California and #3 in the nation for Cardiology and Heart Surgery in U.S. News & World Report’s "Best Hospitals 2022-2023" rankings, cardiothoracic surgeons in the Smidt Heart Institute have performed more than 1,000 robotic mitral valve repair procedures with a more than 99% success rate. And, since 2017, the Smidt Heart Institute has received the highest national ratings for mitral valve surgery from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
Jointly awarded from the American Heart Association and the Mitral Foundation, the Mitral Valve Repair Reference Center designation identifies and recognizes the nation’s top medical centers for mitral valve repair surgery.
The surgical team is led by Joanna Chikwe, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Cardiac Surgery, and is widely recognized for excellence in robotic and minimally invasive surgical techniques to repair and replace mitral valves.
"We have the unique privilege of treating the most complex patient cases, which broadens our ability to transform our approaches and offer the most innovative techniques," said Chikwe, the Irina and George Schaeffer Distinguished Chair in Cardiac Surgery. "Only a handful of programs nationally approach our experience in robotic and transcatheter mitral repair. The recognition from the American Heart Association and the Mitral Foundation matches our commitment to deliver this excellence to each and every patient we care for.
Cardiac surgeons are able to repair, rather than replace, a faulty mitral valve through minimally invasive surgery. Compared to replacing the valve with an artificial one, mitral valve repair offers a better recovery and improved life expectancy.
"Whenever possible, we repair a mitral valve--rather than replacing it," said Chikwe. "Mitral valve repair is the gold standard because patients who keep their own valves have the best length and quality of life."
Cedars-Sinai is ranked #1 in California and #2 in the nation in the 2022-23 U.S. News & World Report "Best Hospitals" issue.
For more information: https://www.cedars-sinai.org/
May 12, 2025 
