Professor Meng Xu: Mitral Valve Repair and Atrial Fibrillation Surgery Expert in Beijing

Professor Meng Xu: Mitral Valve Repair and Atrial Fibrillation Surgery Expert in Beijing

Professor Meng Xu: Complex Valve Repair and Surgical AF Specialist

Professor Meng Xu is a senior cardiac surgeon, professor, doctoral supervisor, and chief expert of the Valve and Atrial Fibrillation Surgery Center at Beijing Anzhen Hospital. His clinical work focuses on mitral and aortic valve repair, rheumatic valve disease, surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation, minimally invasive transapical valve repair, end-stage heart failure, and heart transplantation.

Clinical and Academic Focus

  • mitral valve repair and replacement;
  • aortic valve repair and replacement;
  • rheumatic mitral valve disease;
  • the four-step rheumatic mitral repair technique;
  • surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation;
  • minimally invasive and transapical valve procedures;
  • combined valve and coronary surgery;
  • end-stage heart failure and transplantation; and
  • second opinions before complex valve surgery.

Mitral Valve Repair

The mitral valve can leak because of degenerative disease, rheumatic damage, infection, heart enlargement, or ischemic heart disease. When a durable result is expected, repair can preserve the patient’s own valve and may avoid some disadvantages of replacement.

Repair techniques can include leaflet resection or reconstruction, artificial chordae, ring annuloplasty, commissural procedures, and treatment of calcium. Suitability depends on valve anatomy, tissue quality, ventricular function, pulmonary pressure, and surgeon experience.

Rheumatic Mitral Valve Disease

Rheumatic disease can cause leaflet thickening, fusion, shortening, calcification, stenosis, leakage, or a combination. Repair is more technically demanding than treatment of many degenerative valves.

Professor Meng developed a pathological classification and standardized four-step approach for selected rheumatic mitral valves. Not every rheumatic valve can be repaired durably, and replacement may remain the safer option in advanced disease.

Aortic Valve Surgery

Aortic stenosis and regurgitation can cause breathlessness, chest discomfort, fainting, reduced exercise capacity, or heart failure. Treatment may include surgical repair, surgical replacement, or transcatheter intervention.

The choice depends on valve anatomy, age, life expectancy, aortic disease, coronary disease, surgical risk, anticoagulation preference, and expected durability.

Surgical Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation

Patients undergoing valve surgery may also receive a surgical ablation procedure for atrial fibrillation. Lesion sets aim to interrupt abnormal electrical circuits and can be combined with management of the left atrial appendage.

Rhythm success varies with AF duration, atrial size, fibrosis, valve disease, and lesion completeness. Anticoagulation decisions still depend on stroke risk and follow-up rather than rhythm status alone.

Minimally Invasive Transapical Repair

Transapical beating-heart mitral repair places artificial chordae through a small chest incision while the heart continues beating. Professor Meng has contributed to early clinical work with the MitralStitch system.

This approach is intended for selected anatomy and does not replace conventional surgery or catheter-based edge-to-edge repair for every patient. Device availability and eligibility require current hospital confirmation.

Valve Repair or Replacement?

A repair is valuable only when it is safe and durable. Replacement may be preferred when there is extensive calcification, severe tissue destruction, complex rheumatic fusion, failed previous repair, or anatomy unlikely to maintain competence.

Mechanical valves are durable but usually require lifelong anticoagulation. Bioprosthetic valves generally require less long-term anticoagulation but can deteriorate over time.

Heart Failure and Transplantation

Advanced valve disease can lead to severe ventricular dysfunction and end-stage heart failure. Treatment may include optimized medication, valve surgery, rhythm treatment, mechanical support, or transplantation in selected patients.

Transplant eligibility depends on organ function, pulmonary pressure, infection and cancer history, adherence, psychosocial review, donor policy, and current institutional approval.

Who May Consider a Consultation?

  • patients with severe mitral regurgitation or stenosis;
  • patients with rheumatic valve disease seeking repair assessment;
  • patients comparing valve repair and replacement;
  • patients with aortic valve disease requiring surgery;
  • patients with valve disease and atrial fibrillation;
  • patients considering minimally invasive or transapical repair;
  • patients needing repeat surgery after a previous valve operation; or
  • patients seeking a second opinion before high-risk cardiac surgery.

Medical Records to Prepare

  • a concise symptom and treatment timeline;
  • transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography in original format;
  • cardiac CT, MRI, and coronary angiography when available;
  • ECGs and prolonged rhythm-monitoring reports;
  • previous valve, ablation, and cardiac-surgery records;
  • valve prosthesis, ring, chordal, and device information;
  • recent blood count, kidney, liver, coagulation, and cardiac-biomarker results;
  • anticoagulation history and bleeding or stroke records;
  • a complete medication list; and
  • a clear list of treatment and recovery goals.

Planning an International Consultation

Severe breathlessness at rest, chest pain, fainting, shock, acute pulmonary edema, stroke symptoms, or suspected valve infection requires immediate local emergency care.

Stable patients should confirm whether original echocardiography and cardiac imaging can be reviewed. Remote medical-record review requires physician authorization. Final repair, replacement, device, or transplant eligibility requires full in-person assessment.

How CMCS Can Assist

CMCS – China Medical Concierge Shanghai is an independent medical concierge and health management company, not a hospital. We assist international patients with organizing and translating cardiac records, identifying an appropriate specialist, requesting appointment availability, arranging interpretation, and planning medical travel in China.

Access to Professor Meng, remote review, valve repair, surgical ablation, a particular device, or transplantation is subject to doctor and hospital approval. CMCS does not guarantee appointments, procedure eligibility, device availability, donor organs, or clinical outcomes.

Important Note

Doctor titles, clinical roles, devices, procedures, transplant policy, and appointment arrangements may change. This profile is based on the supplied verified research document and is for general information only. It does not replace assessment by a qualified cardiac surgery team.

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