New Solution on the Horizon for Mitral Valve Regurgitation

A new semi-rigid annuloplasty ring provides an advanced, catheter-based solution for treating mitral valve regurgitation.

The Valcare Medical (Herzliya Pituach, Israel) Amend Mitral Valve Repair annuloplasty ring is a 'D' shaped device designed to repair the mitral valve and thereby reduce valvular incompetence. The device is delivered via a sub-xiphoid transapical approach with the aid of a delivery catheter inserted through the chest and into the heart under ¬fluoroscopic and echo guidance. The D-shaped ring is then deployed and positioned to match the annulus of the original valve.

A special mechanism provides control for moving and shaping the ring by modifying its geometry. Using a series of remotely activated mechanisms, the complete ring shape is achieved and a series of anchors in four different zones that are independently deployed attach the ring into the annulus. During the implantation procedure, the septal lateral dimension is reduced to achieve better lea¬flet coaptation, thereby reducing or eliminating the mitral regurgitation.

“Valcare's novel technology is a pioneering breakthrough for the treatment of mitral valve regurgitation, and could be a base for additional modalities for treatment of other valve disorders,” said Uri Geiger, chairman of the board Valcare. “The team is currently focusing on adapting the delivery technique to a transeptal approach allowing for deployment of the system through a puncture in the groin, as well as using the system to treat tricuspid incompetence, another extremely common problem.”

Mitral regurgitation (MR), the most common form of valvular heart disease, is a disorder of the heart in which the mitral valve does not close properly, causing regurgitation of blood from the left ventricle through the mitral valve and back into the left atrium. Patients with MR face a dilemma of whether to undergo corrective surgery early, when they might have no or few symptoms, or wait until their condition worsens, triggering the decision to proceed with surgery.

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