Patients in northern Utah now have access to lifesaving minimally invasive heart valve procedure
OGDEN, Utah (ABC4 Utah) – Heart patients in Northern Utah who are experiencing symptoms of heart failure now have access to a minimally invasive life-saving heart procedure that is not only improving lives of patients but saving them.
Cardiologists at Intermountain McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden are now performing a procedure where they place a tiny clip in the heart to repair a leaky mitral valve that significantly decreases the risk of heart failure patients from having to return to the hospital for more care or even dying.
The mitral valve is one of four valves in the heart that keep blood flowing in the right direction. Each valve has flaps, called leaflets, that open and close once during each heartbeat. If a valve doesn’t open or close properly, blood flow through the heart to the body can be reduced, according to Eric Lindley, MD, a cardiologist at Intermountain McKay-Dee Hospital.
In studies previously done at Intermountain Health and other major heart centers across the country, researchers have found that the MitraClip device reduces risk for hospitalization by half and deaths by nearly 40 percent, while significantly improving the quality of life of patients with secondary mitral regurgitation – an after-effect of heart failure – whose prognosis is typically poor without treatment.
The MitraClip is a tiny device that is attached to the mitral valve in the heart that repairs the leaking valve. In patients with this condition, the mitral valve has been deformed by the effects of heart failure, which leads to leaks that make the heart work harder to move blood through the body.
Unlike surgery, the MitraClip procedure does not require opening the chest surgically and temporarily stopping the heart, so it’s considered a minimally invasive procedure, said Dr. Lindley.
Instead, interventional cardiologists access the mitral valve through a catheter – a small tube that is guided through a vein in the groin to the heart. The MitraClip itself is smaller than a dime, which allows it to be placed via catheter. It’s then maneuvered in place – right above the malfunctioning mitral valve.
With ultrasound guidance, the MitraClip is positioned so it can grab the two leaflets of the valve and pull them together. Once that happens, the sides of the valve can open and close normally. This helps to restore normal blood flow through your heart.
About half of people who develop heart failure die within five years of diagnosis, according to the American Heart Association. For those with secondary mitral regurgitation, blood doesn’t flow properly though their bodies, which can plummet their quality of life. The MitraClip procedure is an effective and minimally invasive solution to the problem.
In severe mitral valve regurgitation, the heart must work harder to pump enough blood to the body. The extra effort causes the left lower heart chamber to get bigger. Untreated, the heart muscle becomes weak. This can cause heart failure.
About half of people who develop heart failure die within five years of diagnosis, according to the American Heart Association. For those with secondary mitral regurgitation, blood doesn’t flow properly though their bodies, which can plummet their quality of life. The MitraClip procedure is an effective and minimally invasive solution to the problem.
Visit IntermountainHealth.org for more information about Intermountain Health’s heart health services.
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