What is MitraClip?

MitraClip is a procedure for treating mitral regurgitation, a condition in which the mitral valve fails to close completely and blood leaks backward into your heart. Left untreated, mitral regurgitation places an extra burden on your heart and lungs, and your heart may have to work harder to function normally.

Do I have mitral regurgitation?

Symptoms of mitral regurgitation may include: 

  • Fatigue or inability to exercise

  • Decreased appetite

  • Dry, hacking cough that is often worse lying down

  • Shortness of breath

  • Fainting

  • Fluids accumulating in feet, ankles or lungs

Can the MitraClip procedure help me?

During a MitraClip procedure, a small device is attached to your mitral valve, allowing it to close completely and restore normal blood flow through your heart. Less invasive than traditional open-heart surgery, your cardiac surgeon will access the mitral valve with a thin tube that is guided through a vein in your leg. Most patients are released from the hospital within two to three days, and experience improvement in quality of life soon after. 

At the St. Charles Heart and Lung Center, our multidisciplinary group of medical and surgical heart specialists work together and with each individual patient in our care to determine if a MitraClip procedure is the best treatment option.