What is Mitraclip?

The MitraClip  procedure does not require opening the chest or stopping the heart. Instead, through a vein in the leg, a thin tube (called a catheter) is guided to the mitral valve The MitraClip device is a small clip that is attached to your mitral valve. It treats mitral regurgitation by allowing your mitral valve to close more completely, helping to restore normal blood flow through your heart.​
Is Mitraclip Experiment?

No.  Mitraclip is NOT experimental.  It is FDA approved for certain types of patients with mitral regurgitation.  Nearly 100,000 patients have been treated with the MitraClip device globally. The potential benefit of Mitraclip were recently reported in the New England Journal of Medicine and the New York Times
​What are the possible benefits of the MitraClip procedure?

As reported in the New England Journal of Medicine and the New York Times, appropriately selected patients who underwent the MitraClip procedure experienced significant reduction in mitral regurgitation, improved survival, improved quality of life, and less time in the hospital compared to optimal medical therapy. ​
​What information is needed before I can
undergo the procedure?

​Evaluation includes non-invasive echo for assessment of heart function, the valve anatomy.  Typically, patients receive most of this testing in a single day.  
Did you know. . . 

  • Mitraclip is not experimental; more than 100,000 procedures have been performed worldwide; and its is FDA approved for the treatment of mitral regurgitation
  • Dr. Russo is one of the most experi-enced catheter-based surgeons in the US.
  • The Mitraclip procedure typically takes less than 2 hours; most patients return home the day following the procedure
  • RWJUH has outcomes that are among the best in the U.S.
PictureMitraclip

​What should I expect after the Mitraclip procedure?

Most often there is no significant recovery period.   Patients typically spent only single night in the hospital.