Courtesy of www.cardio.com

MitraClip Repair is a novel therapeutic modality using a catheter to repair leaky mitral valves.  There are specific conditions which allow patients to be candidates for this.  Ask your doctor for more information of centers that provide that technology.  Watch this short video to see how its done.

While OPEN surgical replacement of the Mitral Valve is the standard of care, innovation in catheter based technology has allowed for researchers to develop a valve which can be used to treat patients suffering of mitral valve stenosis without the need of opening the sternunm.  
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently allowed the use of these devices is certain groups of patients.  These specifically include patients with:

1. Prior mitral valve repairs (rings)
2. Prior mitral valve replacements

There are ongoing trials (studies) looking at the use of these devices for patients who have not had prior open valve repairs or replacements.  Ask your doctor for a list of programs in your area that provide this therapy.

This short video shows you how a catheter based, or percutaneous, valve is placed.