Mitral valve regurgitation is a common heart valve condition in which the mitral valve cannot close properly. Cardiologists may implant mitral valve clips to help the valve close effectively.
Mitral valve regurgitation causes blood to leak backward through the mitral valve each time the left ventricle contracts. This can cause the left atrium to fill with blood and enlarge.
Doctors may recommend mitral valve clips to treat some cases of mitral valve regurgitation.
Read on to learn more about the purpose of mitral valve clips. This article looks at conditions the clips may help treat, as well as what happens before, during, and after mitral valve clip surgery.
Mitral valve clips can help reduce mitral valve regurgitation by closing the mitral valve. This helps restore blood flow through the heart.
Cardiologists
Medical professionals
Primary mitral valve regurgitation occurs due to dysfunction of the mitral valve itself.
The mitral valve is on the left side of the heart. It sits between the left atrium and left ventricle.
Secondary mitral valve regurgitation occurs due to dysfunction or enlargement of the chambers on the left side of the heart. These changes in the structure of the chambers can cause blood to leak back through the mitral valve.
Cardiologists may also use mitral valve clips when treating mitral valve prolapse. Mitral valve prolapse occurs when the mitral valve becomes too floppy and does not effectively close.
Learn more about heart valve regurgitation.
Before a person has mitral valve clip surgery, a cardiologist will
During the workup, a person may receive an echocardiogram to help the cardiologist see the structures of the heart and the anatomy of the mitral valve.
A cardiologist and anesthesiologist will also need to clear the person for surgery, as the procedure requires general anesthesia.
Medical professionals will discuss the person’s medical history and ask about any medications they may be taking. They will then advise the person if they need to stop taking any medications in the days before the surgery.
A person will often need to stop taking anticoagulant medications 2 to 5 days before their procedure. Anticoagulants are medications that help prevent blood clots.
During the procedure, a cardiologist will make a small incision in a person’s leg to insert a catheter through a vein. They will use this catheter to guide the delivery system to the heart.
Using tools that they have passed through the catheter, a cardiologist
This is a procedure where a cardiologist creates
The cardiologist will then pass the delivery system through the catheter into the left chamber of the heart. They will then use the delivery system to attach the mitral valve clip to the flaps of the mitral valve to help it close more effectively.
The cardiologist will then withdraw the delivery system and the catheter from the vein and stitch up the person’s vein. They will then stitch up the initial incision.
After mitral valve clip surgery, a person will spend time in a recovery area for a couple of hours so medical professionals can closely monitor them. After this, they will move to a ward or the high dependency unit.
Medical professionals will usually use a heart monitor to measure the person’s heart rate and rhythm. They may also administer intravenous (IV) fluids for hydration.
If a person requires medications to support their heart after the procedure, a doctor will explain how the drugs will work.
Due to the anesthetic, a person may feel tired. A healthcare professional will encourage them to walk within 6 to 12 hours after the procedure.
A doctor will also explain when the person can resume taking any medications they require.
Medical professionals will usually discharge a person 1 to 2 days after the procedure if they have responded well to surgery.
When recovering from mitral valve clip surgery, a person should avoid strenuous activity for a few weeks. This may include some time off work if their job involves a lot of heavy lifting or pushing and pulling.
A person may feel tired regularly for some time after surgery. It is important for their recovery that they have a short walk every day. They can gradually increase the length of their walk as they recover.
They may feel out of breath when walking. This will improve as their fitness increases.
If the person drives, a doctor will tell them how long they should wait after surgery before driving once again.
Monitoring side effects
After the surgery, a person may have:
- some swelling in the ankles due to fluid retention
- bruising in the groin that takes weeks to resolve
- a hard lump under the skin due to a buildup of blood
A person should tell their doctor if these side effects worsen or become painful.
This surgical procedure is
Rare side effects of this procedure include:
- Single leaflet device attachment: This occurs when only one of the flaps of the mitral valve remains attached to the mitral clip.
- Injury to the mitral valve: In some rare cases, the surgery can cause injury to the flaps of the mitral valve.
- Device embolization: This occurs when a surgical device moves to an unintended location within the body. This can cause the obstruction of an organ or blood vessel.
- Residual mitral valve regurgitation: Occasionally, some mitral valve regurgitation remains after surgery.
- Pericardial effusion: Pericardial effusion occurs when fluid
builds up in the pericardial sac, which surrounds the heart. - Major vascular complications: These involve issues such as bleeding or ruptures to blood vessels during the procedure.
- Severe bleeding: While very rare, in some instances, a person may experience severe bleeding during this surgery. If they do experience this, they may require a blood transfusion.
- Stroke: In some very rare cases, a person may experience stroke after mitral valve clip surgery.
How long does mitral valve clip surgery take?
Mitral valve clip surgery is a
What are the drawbacks of MitraClip?
The main disadvantage of the MitraClip procedure is the
Studies show that recurrent mitral regurgitation was present in approximately
What is the success rate of the mitral valve clip?
Mitral valve clip surgery is a relatively safe and effective treatment for mitral regurgitation.
Studies show that the success rate of the procedure is approximately
What is the difference between mitral valve repair and replacement?
“Mitral valve repair” is the term for a number of surgical procedures that
Mitral valve repair surgery preserves a person’s heart tissue.
Mitral valve replacement surgery is a treatment option for people with a
During mitral valve replacement, a cardiologist will remove the mitral valve and replace it with another valve. The replacement valve will be from a donor human heart or animal heart, or it will be a human-made mechanical valve.
Learn more about heart valve replacement.
Mitral clips are pieces of equipment that cardiologists use during mitral valve repair surgery. A cardiologist attaches the clip to the mitral valve to help it close more effectively.
This procedure aims to treat mitral regurgitation. This is a heart condition that makes the mitral valve unable to close properly. This causes blood to leak backward through the valve when the left ventricle contracts.
A person’s doctor can provide them with information about what they can expect before, during, and after the procedure. They can also advise on the benefits and possible risks so the individual can make an informed decision about their treatment plan.