Tiny device may be effective in treatment of heart failure

Tiny device may be effective in treatment of heart failure

News:

1. Researchers reported a tiny clip called as MitraClip which when inserted into the heart sharply reduced death rates in patients with severe heart failure.

Important Facts:

2. About MitraClip

• MitraClip (mitral clip) is a medical device used to treat mitral valve regurgitation for individuals who should not have open-heart surgery.
• Mitral valve regurgitation is leakage of blood in the Mitral valve of the heart, which causes blood to flow back to the heart instead of circulating to bodily organs, causing heart failures.

3.Usage of MitraClip:

• In heart failure, the organ is damaged and the heart muscle enlarges and pumps inefficiently to compensate which causes leakage in mitral valve and heart failure worsens.
• So MitraClip is used to repair the mitral valve by clipping its two flaps together to transform a poorly functioning valve into an efficient one.

4. Impact of the new device

• It will reduce heart related failures by 40%
• It will reduce hospitalization of heart patients by half.
• It will provide alternative to traditional procedure of operating in heart failures.

5. If the device is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of severe heart failure, it would be a boon for heart patients as insurers will also cover it.