As many of you know, I am a technology enthusiast. I love seeing the ways technology can improve our lives - especially when it comes to heart valve surgery. One of the newer technologies in this industry is the MitraClip which is used to [1] leaky heart valves).

Over the past few months, I continue to receive more-and-more inquiries regarding this non-invasive form of mitral valve repair. In fact, I just opened an email from Anthony that says, “I’m a 45 year-old male just diagnosed with mitral regurgitation…. I’m basically in shock… Do you have any information on the MitraClip?”

While Evalve, Inc., the company which makes the MitraClip, has been around since 1999, recent studies about this percutaneous repair device have been encouraging. On May 14, 2009, it was announced that the first 100 patients have been treated with the MitraClip system in Europe. Of the procedures performed to date, 93% were considered successful. Then, a week later, additional results published from the EVEREST High Risk Registry showed the MitraClip as an effective surgical treatment for mitral regurgitation in high risk patients.

Similar to other forms of minimally invasive surgical approaches the MitraClip provides several clinical benefits for patients including reduced hospital stays, shorter recovery times, less pain and improved quality-of-life. The MitraClip system is currently under clinical study in the United States and Canada.

This study is an FDA-approved Phase II randomized, controlled, multi-center clinical research study in the US and Canada evaluating the safety and efficacy of the MitraClip device in 279 patients with moderate-to-severe mitral regurgitation.

Donald Glower, professor of surgery at Duke Medical Center and co-principal investigator of the Everest study, said: “This trial sets a high scientific standard for future percutaneous valve therapies. As a result, this trial will have a significant and long-lasting impact on patient care around the world.”

I hope this helped you learn more about the MitraClip, which appears to be a promising technology for non-invasive mitral valve repair.

Keep on tickin!

About The Author: Adam Pick is a double, heart valve surgery patient and author of The Patient’s Guide To Heart Valve Surgery. This unique book integrates the clinical facts of heart valve surgery with the personal experiences of 78 former valve surgery patients to help patients and caregivers better understand the opportunities and challenges of heart valve surgery. [3] To learn more about Adam and his heart valve surgery book, click here.