Transcatheter mitral valve repair with the MitraClip® system

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is a frequent valve disorder. Almost half of all patients with MR are denied treatment on the basis of high surgical risk. Percutaneous mitral valve repair simulating the edge-to-edge technique can be accomplished successfully with the MitraClip® system. The procedure is usually performed under general anesthesia in a catheterization laboratory under fluoroscopic and transesophageal echocardiographic guidance. Initial results from randomized trials (e.g., EVEREST II) suggest that MitraClip is safer and noninferior to surgical valve treatment. Real-world experience in high-risk patients indicates beneficial results of MitraClip implantation in both degenerative and functional MR, with improvement in left ventricular chamber indices at follow-up. Continued development in terms of technique and experience will allow the application of novel percutaneous repair techniques to an expanded cohort of patients with MR.