Initial experience of percutaneous treatment of mitral regurgitation with MitraClip® therapy in Spain

Symptomatic mitral regurgitation has an unfavorable prognosis unless treated by surgery. However, the European registry of valvular heart disease reports that 49% of patients with this condition do not undergo surgery. Percutaneous treatment of mitral regurgitation with MitraClip® has been proved a safe, efficient adjunct to medical treatment in patients with this profile. The objective of the present study is to describe initial experience of MitraClip® therapy in Spain.

Retrospective observational study including all patients treated between November 2011 and July 2013 at the 4 Spanish hospitals recording the highest numbers of implantations.

A total of 62 patients (77.4% men) were treated, mainly for restrictive functional mitral regurgitation (85.4%) of grade III (37%) or grade IV (63%), mean (standard deviation) ejection fraction 36% (14%), and New York Heart Association functional class III (37%) or IV (63%). Device implantation was successful in 98% of the patients. At 1 year, 81.2% had mitral regurgitation ≤ 2 and 90.9% were in New York Heart Association functional class ≤ II. One periprocedural death occurred (sepsis at 20 days post-implantation) and another 3 patients died during follow-up (mean, 9.1 months). Two patients needed a second implantation due to partial dehiscence of the first device and 2 others underwent heart transplantation.

In Spain, MitraClip® therapy has principally been aimed at patients with functional mitral regurgitation, significant systolic ventricular dysfunction, and high surgical risk. It is considered a safe alternative treatment, which can reduce mitral regurgitation and improve functional capacity.