MitraClip Procedure - Nebraska Medicine

The MitraClip Clip Delivery System (MitraClip CDS) is a new option for patients diagnosed with mitral regurgitation (MR), a condition that affects four million people in the United States. The heart’s mitral valve leaflets don’t close tightly, causing blood to flow backwards from the heart’s left ventricle into the left atrium. It makes the heart work harder at pushing blood through the body, leading to shortness of breath, fatigue and worsening heart failure.

The MitraClip procedure is a great option for MR patients who have too high a risk for surgery. The procedure consists of implant catheters and the MitraClip device. The device is a permanent implant that attaches to the mitral valve leaflets. This procedure results in a double opening of the mitral valve, allowing greater closure and reduces the leakiness of the valve.

The MitraClip device is inserted by a catheter through the femoral vein and guided into the heart. The MitraClp device is positioned by grasping both leaflets of the mitral valve. The device is left in place and the delivery catheter is removed. The surgical team can watch in real time on the echo machine if the mitral regurgitation is appropriately reduced.

The procedure takes approximately 1.5 hours. Recovery time is typically three days in the hospital. Nebraska Medicine anticipates performing the procedure on 2-4 patients per month. To connect with a member of the Heart Center team regarding the MitraClip, call (402) 559-8888.