Mitral regurgitation, a condition that prevents the mitral valve from closing completely, is the most common type of heart valve insufficiency in Europe and the United States. It affects millions of people worldwide. The St.Vincent Heart Center of Indiana has been a leader in MitraClip® therapy and is the only center within Indiana participating in the study of this novel, life-saving device.
Traditionally, mitral regurgitation is treated through open heart surgery. However, only about 20 percent of the 600,000 patients diagnosed in the U.S. and Europe each year undergo surgery. Evalve’s minimally invasive, catheter-based MitraClip® system is used to clip the leaflets of the mitral valve together to reduce regurgitation. It is the first commercially available treatment option approved in Europe for non-surgical mitral valve repair for patients suffering from the effects of mitral regurgitation. Currently in the United States, the MitraClip® system is an investigational device undergoing clinical trials. St.Vincent Heart Center is proud to continue advancing the progress of this life-changing device.