For transcatheter mitral valve repair

The mitral valve regulates the blood flow between the left atrium and left ventricle, preventing regurgitation during the heart contraction phase. If the two mitralic flaps do not close adequately – and this may occur for a number of reasons: functional, degenerative or infectious – blood regurgitates in varying quantities, worsening haemodynamics.

Apart from pharmacological therapy, this pathology is normally treated with a surgical approach, which is not an option for high-risk patients.
The new MitraClip technique, a percutaneous transcatheter (without opening the chest) procedure, makes it possible to reduce mitral regurgitation through the positioning of a clip that narrows the valve opening.

This procedure is performed, with the patient under general anaesthesia, by passing through the right femoral vein; the patient is then dismissed after 1 or 2 days.

 

Istituto Cardiocentro Ticino was the first hospital in Switzerland to introduce the technique of valvular reconstruction with the MitraClip system, and is currently one of the most experienced Swiss centres for this type of procedure.
Since 2010, Istituto Cardiocentro Ticino has officially held the Swiss MitraClip registry.