MitraClip Treatment in Washington, D.C

If you have a heart condition called mitral regurgitation but you’re unable to have surgery, MitraClip™ transcatheter mitral valve repair is a minimally invasive procedure that can resolve your symptoms. Until now, mitral valve surgery has been the only option for treating mitral regurgitation, but you now have a less-invasive treatment option.

Considering any type of procedure can be stressful for both patients and caregivers, but knowing the facts about the MitraClip procedure can help alleviate anxiety:

• It is less invasive than traditional open heart surgery
• It is included in the new medical guidelines to treat mitral regurgitation.
• Patients usually have only a short hospital stay of two to three days.
• Improvement in symptoms of mitral regurgitation generally happen quickly.
• This procedure can improve your quality of life. 

What To Expect During the MitraClip Procedure

MitraClip is a form of transcatheter mitral valve repair. It is generally performed in a hybrid suite under general anesthesia while a ventilator helps you breathe. Using a fluoroscopy (type of x-ray) and echocardiography (heart ultrasound), the doctors can visualize your heart while inserting a catheter into the heart through a small incision in your upper leg. The catheter is used to place a clip onto your mitral valve to help it close. The doctor will perform some tests to be sure the clip is working properly. The implanted clip becomes a part of your heart and you will need to carry a card so you can inform doctors about your MitraClip.

What Are the Advantages of MitraClip Valve Repair?

MitraClip resolves the problem of mitral regurgitation without the need for higher-risk surgical procedures that require the operating room team to stop your heart temporarily. 

Before MitraClip, patients who couldn’t undergo open-heart surgery had no alternative treatments available to them.

Recovery rates vary between patients, but in most cases, you only need to stay in the hospital for 2-3 days. Your mitral regurgitation symptoms should improve soon after undergoing MitraClip valve repair.