Mitral Valve Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair (TEER)

The mitral valve has two leaflets that open and close to allow blood to flow through your heart. If you have been diagnosed with mitral valve regurgitation, it is because your heart’s mitral valve is not closing tightly enough, which allows blood to flow in the wrong direction.

When blood is not flowing through the heart as it should, it can cause you to feel tired and weak, and in severe cases, may lead to heart failure (symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, and exercise intolerance), arrhythmia (heart rhythm problems) or more serious complications.

The Mitral Valve Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair, also known as the MitraClip^® Procedure, can be performed by an interventional cardiologist or a cardiac surgeon and is performed in our Cardiac Catheterization Lab or Structural Heart Hybrid OR. To begin the procedure, a doctor will insert a catheter through your leg and carefully guide it into your heart. Once the catheter is in place, your heart team will use x-ray technology and echocardiography to position the MitraClip^®. Once in place, as the heart beats, the MitraClip^® squeezes the valve closed tightly so blood can no longer flow in the wrong direction. Your heart team will be able to see if it is in the best location; if not, they can reposition it until the newly enhanced valve begins to function at its best.

You will likely be in the hospital for one to two days following the procedure. At that point, you will be discharged to your home, and a follow-up appointment will be scheduled so your heart team can ensure that your recovery goes smoothly.