Severe mitral regurgitation: Mitraclip implant used for the first time in Peru

The human heart It is like a clock: all its parts play a very important role in keeping the whole body in good condition. But, when a part fails – like one of the internal valves – it can cause many problems and must be repaired.

One of these complications is severe mitral regurgitation, which is usually resolved with an open chest operation. Nevertheless, A few days ago, the first mitraclip implant was performed in Perua minimally invasive alternative, designed for the cardiac patients with high surgical risk and who can achieve a better quality of life.

minimally invasive

The mitral valve is responsible for letting blood pass from the left atrium to the left ventricle of the heart. When this valve does not close completely, blood backs up into the anterior chamber. Without proper treatment, this can cause serious problems, such as increased pressure and heart enlargement.

“The heart it becomes inefficient and reacts by becoming larger, but has a harder time functioning. When severe mitral regurgitation occurs, the patient gets very tired, has palpitations, his lungs become congested”explains to El Comercio Luis Bracamonte, thoracic and cardiovascular surgeon at the Ricardo Palma clinic, in charge of carrying out this unprecedented intervention.

The patient is a 69-year-old man who had undergone heart surgery 10 years ago and had suffered from severe mitral regurgitation for four years. In the opinion of the experts, it was a case considered inoperable due to its antecedents. However, it was the perfect case to use the mitraclip. Hear more about this topic at EC Byte, from minute 17:30.

This technology is about seven years old. It is a percutaneous device that enters by puncture, through the femoral vein, to the right atrium of the heart. There, a needle is passed through the wall to the left atrium. Then –always monitored with a transesophageal ultrasound–, the specialists decide when to open the legs of the device, to capture the valve leaflets, and close with a staple.

“It is as if we put a staple in the middle of the lips. Severe mitral regurgitation is transformed into mild or moderate. It is not a cure, but it changes the life of the patient and after two days he goes home”, Dr. Bracamonte details.

This alternative is designed for patients who, due to their history, they are not the best candidates for open chest surgery.