Heart and Vascular Care
The cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons at Main Line Health work together to improve the detection and prevention of heart disease with the latest treatment options.
Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair (TMVr)
Transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr) an option for some with mitral valve regurgitation
Some people are not candidates for traditional surgery for mitral valve repair or replacement. This may be because of your age, health condition or other factors your doctor considers too great a risk for open-heart surgery.
A less invasive treatment option for mitral regurgitation (MR) often due to mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is transcatheter mitral valve repair (known as TMVr). MR is a condition in which the valve leaflets of your heart do not close sufficiently as blood pumps. Therefore, blood "regurgitates" from the left ventricle into the left atrium. Because of this your heart has to work harder and you may experience symptoms such as shortness of breath, heart palpitations and fatigue.
Left unchecked MR causes worsening heart failure. An example of a less invasive treatment option for TMVr is MitraClip®.
How a less invasive treatment works to control leaking heart valves
Less invasive treatment frequently uses catheter technology inserted through your leg and guided up to the left atrium of your heart. By maneuvering the guide wire and dilator, your surgeon gradually introduces a tiny device, such as a clip, into the left atrium. The surgeon precisely positions the device above the leak in your mitral valve, opens the device's "arms" and descends the device into the left ventricle below the valve "leaflets." The device is then drawn out slowly, pulling the leaflets together as it goes. This greatly reduces MR as the blood flow is now controlled.
If further MR reduction is needed or can be improved, your surgeon again moves the device into the ventricle, adjusting the position of the device to ensure it is grasping optimally to reduce MR. Once positioned, the device allows blood to flow on both sides of the device and the device moves naturally with the valve.
Benefits of a less invasive treatment
Recovery time from a less invasive procedure is usually just a few days compared to several months or longer for open-heart surgery. Most patients notice the benefits right away.
How to fix a leaky valve in the heart?
Treatment depends on severity and valve type. Options include monitoring, medications, minimally invasive repairs or valve replacement when necessary.
How to fix a leaky heart valve without surgery?
Mild cases of leaky heart valve may only need monitoring, while more severe cases can be treated with surgery that only requires a small incision to perform and is minimally invasive, such as transcatheter mitral valve repair or mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (Mitral-TEER or M-TEER).
Does Main Line Health do transcatheter repair for mitral valve regurgitation?
Yes, Main Line Health offers this treatment through our heart and vascular care program.
What is transcatheter mitral valve repair?
Mitral-TEER is a minimally invasive procedure for mitral valve regurgitation. It is performed using a catheter-based approach inserted through the leg and guided to the heart, where a small device is attached to the mitral valve leaflets to reduce regurgitation.
What to expect after a transcatheter mitral valve repair, or M-TEER?
Since the surgery is minimally invasive, recovery takes only a few days, and most patients notice improvements immediately. Common expectations post-procedure include:
- Short hospital stays (one to three days)
- Rapid symptom improvement
- Return to light activity quickly
- Follow-up imaging and cardiology visits
How long does a transcatheter mitral valve repair, or M-TEER, last?
Long-term durability varies by patient health, anatomy and severity of the valve regurgitation. Minimally invasive treatment could help patients between two to five years including fewer hospitalizations and improved mortality.