Mitral valve repair is the treatment of choice for severe degenerative mitral regurgitation providing better freedom from cardiac events, quality of life and long-term survival compared with mitral valve replacement. Increasing numbers of asymptomatic patients are therefore referred for mitral repair. With refinements of the surgical techniques, long-term results have further improved in the last decade. Certainly experience is crucial in determining the likelihood of success and patients with a mitral valve deemed reparable should be referred to centers with high volume and extensive experience in this field. In this article the current role of mitral valve repair in degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR) will be outlined. Moreover some important concepts regarding indication and techniques of mitral repair in the more challenging setting of secondary (functional) mitral regurgitation will be presented and discussed.