​Help for Patients at High Risk for Surgical Mitral Valve Repair or Replacement
At INLAND HEART DOCTORS, our Interventional Team will provide the highest level of care for heart valve disease including leading-edge therapies like the MitraClip® If you have been told that you are at high risk for heart valve surgery, these minimally invasive procedures may be a good alternative.

What is Mitral Valve Regurgitation?
Mitral Valve Regurgitation is a condition in which the hearts Mitral Valve does not close tightly. As a result, blood flows backwards into the upper chamber (left atrium) from the lower chamber (left ventricle) as the heart contracts. This reduces the amount of blood that flows through your heart and to the rest of the body. Because of this backflow of blood, the heart has to work harder to pump blood from the left ventricle to the aorta, resulting in an enlarged left ventricle.

What are Symptoms of Mitral Regurgitation?       

Symptoms of Mitral Regurgitation are often mild and progress slowly and you may experience no symptoms for many years. 
Your physician may first suspect the condition by detecting a Heart Murmur. Mitral regurgitation can also begin suddenly, such as following a heart attack. 

​When symptoms occur, they may include: 
      - Cough
      - Lightheadedness 
      - Fatigue 
      - Shortness of breath that increases with activity and when lying down 
      - Palpitations or the feeling of a rapid heartbeat

​​What are the causes of Mitral Valve Regurgitation? 

​In Primary or Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation, there is structural damage to the valve. This can be due to Mitral Valve Prolapse, a congenitally malformed valve, damage from an infection (rheumatic fever, endocarditis), or valve degeneration due to the normal aging process. 

In Secondary or Functional Mitral Regurgitation, the valve is structurally normal. The valve leaks because the heart is enlarged or damage to the heart muscle has occurred from coronary artery disease or a heart attack.

​As you can see, it’s smaller than a dime, which allows it to be placed through a catheter-based procedure.

​Referred to as a transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr) or as minimally invasive, which is very different from traditional surgery. Unlike surgery, the MitraClipTM procedure does not require opening the chest and temporarily stopping the heart.

Most patients experience improvement in their leaky valve-related symptoms and quality of life soon after the procedure.

MITRACLIP WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION

The MitraClip® procedure has been shown to control Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation (DMR) and Functional Mitral Regurgitation (FMR), improve heart function, reduce hospitalizations for heart failure and improve quality of life.

Our Interventional Team can discuss with you the potential risks and benefits and help decide if this procedure is right for you.

To schedule an appointment to discuss Mitral Valve Regurgitation or other conditions.
​Please call us at (951) 734-4880 for an appointment.