To describe our initial experience of the percutaneous treatment of MR with the MitraClip device.
We describe the first six MitraClip cases performed in this institution (mean age 58.5±13.1 years), with functional MR grade 4+ and New York Heart Association (NYHA) heart failure class III or IV (n=3), with a mean follow-up of 290±145 days.
Procedural success (MR ≤2+) was 100%. Total procedure time was 115.8±23.7 min, with no in-hospital adverse events and discharge between the fourth and eighth day, and consistent improvement in the six-minute walk test (329.8±98.42 vs. 385.33±106.95 m) and in NYHA class (three patients improved by two NYHA classes). During follow-up there were two deaths, in two of the four patients who had been initially considered for heart transplantation.
In patients with functional MR the MitraClip procedure is safe, with both a high implantation and immediate in-hospital success rate. A longer follow-up suggests that the clinical benefit decreases or disappears completely in patients with more advanced heart disease, namely those denied transplantation or on the heart transplant waiting list.