TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The Tallahassee area is welcoming a new technology and treatment option for patients suffering from the most common type of heart valve disorder.
Mitral valve regurgitation is a condition in which the valve separating the upper and lower chambers of the heart fails to close properly, causing blood to flow backward into the upper chambers of the heart and decreasing blood flow to the rest of the body. If left untreated it can lead to congestive heart failure and other serious heart rhythm problems.
Tallahassee Memorial Hospital has become the second hospital in Florida to offer a new technology, the Mitra-Clip; a device that can help patients with the condition who are not eligible for open-heart surgery.
The Mitra-Clip technology was approved by the FDA in October 2013 and clinical studies have shown that the implant offers a safe method to reduce mitral valve regurgitation while offering rapid recovery.
The Mitra-Clip is a permanent implant device delivered to the heart through a small incision through a blood vessel. The heart continues to beat during the procedure and does not require a heart-lung bypass machine, which is common for open-heart surgery. The Mitra-Clip improves valve closure and by repairing the leaking valve which reduces the back-flow of blood.
If you'd like to find out more information about the Mitra-Clip and mitral valve regurgitation you can talk to your doctor and visit tmg.org.
