Innovative Procedure for Mitral Valve Regurgitation
Mitral regurgitation is common condition in which the mitral valve between
the heart’s two left chambers doesn’t close completely, allowing
blood to flow backwards into the heart. In severe mitral regurgitation,
not enough blood moves through the heart or to the rest of the body. Symptoms
include shortness of breath, fatigue, a dry hacking cough, excessive urination,
fainting, water retention in the feet and ankles, decreased appetite,
and an inability to exercise. Left untreated, mitral valve regurgitation
progresses to terminal heart failure. About 1 in 10 people aged 75 and
older have moderate or severe mitral regurgitation.
Transcatheter Valve Repair with MitraClip
MitraClip is a proven minimally invasive procedure that does not involve
open heart surgery or the use of a heart-lung machine, both of which are
risky for elderly people. For the MitraClip procedure, a catheter is introduced
into the femoral vein through a small incision. With the help of guided
imagery, the MitraClip device is threaded up to the heart through the
catheter and positioned over the leaky mitral valve. The clip allows the
leaky valve to open and close effectively, reducing the backflow of blood.
Benefits of the MitraClip procedure
The MitraClip device has been implanted in more than 150,000 patients worldwide.
The results are impressive:
Patients had a 33% reduction in relative risk of mortality
There was a 51% reduction in heart failure hospitalization
Patients reported a significant improvement in their quality of life
Five years after the MitraClip procedure, patients continued to experience
improvement in their heart function, quality of life, and ability to perform
day-to-day tasks
