1st percutaneous mitral

[Lynlw]

http://www.theheart.org/article/1415389.do
First-in-human transcatheter mitral-valve implant

"Copenhagen, Denmark - Doctors in Denmark have become the first to implant a new bioprosthetic mitral valve into a person via a transcatheter approach [1]. Interventional cardiologists Drs Lars Søndergaard and Olaf Franzen and cardiovascular surgeon Dr Susanne Holme were among the team at the Rigshopitalet University Hospital in Copenhagen that implanted the valve as a compassionate treatment into an 86-year-old male suffering from severe mitral regurgitation (MR 4+).

Currently, the most advanced percutaneous devices for addressing mitral-valve dysfunction are focused on valve repair, chief among them the much-studied MitraClip (Abbott, Abbott Park, IL). But percutaneous valve replacement, increasingly done in the aortic and pulmonary valves, has remained elusive for the mitral valve. In an overview of the future for percutaneous mitral-valve therapy last year, heartwire outlined the difficulties faced with this approach, with doctors concluding this would one day be possible but was "not yet ready for prime time."

The valve used in Denmark was the CardiAQ prosthesis (CardiAQ Valve Technologies, Winchester, MA). The company says its technology, which it describes as "self-conforming and self-anchoring," is designed to make nonsurgical mitral heart valve replacement a future alternative to open heart surgical replacement and repair.

Asked his thoughts on this new development, Dr Ron Waksman (Washington Hospital Center, DC) said: "Percutaneous implantation of a bioprosthetic mitral heart valve is a giant milestone . . . that has the potential to be a real alternative to surgical mitral-valve repair/replacement in terms of reduction of mitral regurgitation." If it proves successful, this could "boost the entire field of percutaneous options for the treatment of mitral-valve disease," he added."

 

[neil]

brill news,shows how quick things are moving

 

[ElectLive]

Thanks Lyn, very interesting.

 

[Julian]

Great news!

OHS is not something you want to go through. Bypass machine is something you want to avoid if possible. In my personal experience my stay in the hospital and probably the bypass machine was not a pleasant one. I'll never be the same again and I don't mean that in a good way. Can I use the example 2 shots of happy 1 shot of sad? Yes I'm alive! But in the process of OHS I came out with new issues that I never had before surgery. Point I'm trying to make is that even though its considered "routine" and "safe", truly there is nothing routine about traditional open heart surgery. Its an amazing and horrible process all at the same time. I truly hope that transcatheter becomes the standard in the near future. Again great news and these advancements are moving fast, keep snow ballin'!

 

[Adrienne]

That is very good news. I wonder, though, if it can be done on someone who has already had an MV repair and has a synthetic ring around the annulus. I'm projecting down the road in case I need another operation one day.

 

[Lynlw]

That is very good news. I wonder, though, if it can be done on someone who has already had an MV repair and has a synthetic ring around the annulus. I'm projecting down the road in case I need another operation one day.

Thing are still early and moving fast, but i know they have done mitral percutaneous valves in people with a mitral ring, Ive read of one from a couple year ago and it went well, so my guess is theyve done others.

 

[Molto_Benny]

I recently had my tricuspid valve replaced via OHS, with a bioprosthesis, at the Royal Brompton in London. I've been told it will be the last OHS I will need as when this valve needs replacing it will a transcatheter percutaneous procedure.