What you can expect

In an annuloplasty, the doctor measures the size of the existing ring. Then the doctor sews a band to the existing ring around the valve. The band may be rigid or flexible.

This procedure can be done during open-heart surgery or minimally invasive heart surgery, which involves smaller incisions.

Researchers are studying less-invasive ways to perform annuloplasty and other heart valve procedures using long, thin tubes.