MitraClip Procedure

MitraClip brings a minimally invasive alternative to open-heart surgery.

The MitraClip is a small metal clip that helps patients with mitral regurgitation (MR), a condition where the heart’s mitral valve leaflets do not close tightly, causing blood to leak into the heart’s left atrium and can lead to advanced heart failure.

This new treatment expands the options for selected patients with MR, especially those who are not candidates for invasive open-heart surgery. The procedure allows doctors to use catheter-based technology to repair the mitral valve, without the need for patients to undergo cardiopulmonary bypass.

The MitraClip procedure shortens recovery time and ultimately improves quality of life for those experiencing life-altering symptoms like fatigue and shortness of breath.

During the MitraClip procedure, a physician will use traditional catheter methods to guide the clip into the left atrium. The clip is lowered and attached to the valve to repair or reduce MR. Before final placement, the clip can be moved and rotated to ensure optimal fit.

MR is the most common type of heart valve insufficiency in the United States, affecting approximately 4 million people. This condition cannot be medically treated, and previously could only be repaired with open-heart surgery on patients who were otherwise physically healthy.