Severe mitral regurgitation requiring ECMO therapy treated by interventional valve reconstruction using the MitraClip

Surgical repair is considered the gold standard in severe mitral valve regurgitation. Multi-organ failure because of acute mitral insufficiency, however, can be challenging to manage as it aggravates to an inoperable state. We report the case of a 59 year old woman who presented with pulmonary oedema because of high grade mitral regurgitation. A recompensation prior to surgery using medical therapy failed and the patient developed a progressive multi-organ failure including pulmonary, circulatory, and renal failure within days. Symptomatically, our patient could be stabilized employing an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and an intra-aortic balloon pump. A surgical mitral valve repair was ruled out because of the multi-organ failure. We performed an interventional valve reconstruction using the MitraClip device continuing the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and the intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation therapy during the procedure. After clipping, multi-organ failure regressed and the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation could be explanted at day two after intervention. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.