title: Percutaneous Transvenous Mitral Annuloplasty (PTMA) with the Viking device reduces pacing-induced mitral regurgitation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The new percutaneous mitral annuloplasty Viking device was evaluated in surviving sheep with pacing-induced mitral regurgitation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty sheep were subjected to rapid ventricular pacing for one to three months, leading to cardiomyopathy and mitral regurgitation. Device implantation could be successfully performed in 11 of these animals after pacemaker treatment for 64+/-7 days. The device-related procedure time was 12+/-2 min. The mean follow-up time was 58+/-8 days after implantation of the device. Mitral annulus septo-lateral diameter was significantly reduced after insertion of the device, from 35+/-1 mm before implantation to 30+/-1 mm at the final follow up intracardiac echocardiography (P = 0.0097). The degree of mitral regurgitation (on a scale from 0 to 4) was 2.6+/-0.2 before device implantation and decreased to 0.8+/-0.2 after treatment (P = 0.0039), and the vena contracta was reduced from 7+/-0.4 mm to 3+/-0.8 mm (P = 0.0019). Angiography showed no signs of impairment of the coronary arteries. No thrombosis was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that the septo-lateral diameter of the mitral annulus, and the degree of experimentally induced mitral regurgitation, can be significantly reduced with a percutaneous catheter technique in surviving sheep.
authors.affiliation: Heart and Lung Center, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: Per Ola
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Kimblad
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harnek
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roijer
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meurling
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brandt
authors.forename: Jan Otto
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Solem