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MitraClip

A simple transcatheter procedure to fix your mitral valve.

The MitraClip procedure is performed under general anesthesia. It involves implanting one or more clips on the mitral valve in the area of the leakage, without surgery by means of a catheter inserted through the vein in the groin. Once the clip is in place it will become a permanent part of your heart, allowing your mitral valve to close more tightly and reduce the backward flow of blood.

Frequently Asked Questions

Benefits include shorter recovery time, minimally invasive, significantly less pain compared to open heart surgery, improvement in quality of life and symptoms, and reduction in hospitalization for congestive heart failure.

The average hospital stay is 1-2 days. Patients are generally up and walking the day following the procedure.

Your cardiologist will provide you with specific instructions for the day of the procedure. However, since there is no incision in your chest, pre-procedure preparation is minimal.
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Your Prairie cardiologist or advance practice clinician may refer to it as transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr) or as minimally invasive, which is very different from traditional surgery. Unlike surgery, the MitraClipTM procedure does not require opening the chest and temporarily stopping the heart.

As you can see, it’s smaller than a dime, which allows it to be placed through a catheter-based procedure.

Most patients experience improvement in their leaky valve-related symptoms and quality of life soon after the procedure.