If the mitral valve (which regulates blood flow between the two left heart chambers) fails to properly close, blood may leak back in the wrong direction. This is known as mitral regurgitation, and it forces the heart to work harder, leading to potential complications.
The MitraClip™ is a small device that a cardiologist implants in the heart via a catheter—a flexible tube guided through one of the larger veins to the heart. The MitraClip works like a clothespin, holding the leaflets of the mitral valve together to ensure that the valve closes properly and reduces leakiness. This device is designed to aid patients with severe mitral regurgitation who are not eligible for surgical therapies to replace or repair the valve.
